Thor Benson
@thorbenson.bsky.social
Writer. Featured in Rolling Stone, WIRED, The Daily Beast, Zeteo and elsewhere. I write about politics, tech and science.
Newsletter: madness.ghost.io
Newsletter: madness.ghost.io
When the Star Wars debates start
November 24, 2025 at 9:38 PM
When the Star Wars debates start
Reposted by Thor Benson
Sen. Mark Kelly has released a statement.
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
November 24, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Sen. Mark Kelly has released a statement.
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
Reposted by Thor Benson
Again, every elected Democrat needs to put out a video stating exactly what Kelly and the others said. If ever there were a line to draw in the sand, it’s here. The military is not the president’s Praetorian Guard.
“Within the White House, Trump and his lieutenants aren’t planning on letting up…Trump has told some advisers that he wants RICO prosecutions and conspiracy charges leveled against the six Democrats, a source with direct knowledge of the matter tells Zeteo…
zeteo.com/p/how-we-gre...
zeteo.com/p/how-we-gre...
November 24, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Again, every elected Democrat needs to put out a video stating exactly what Kelly and the others said. If ever there were a line to draw in the sand, it’s here. The military is not the president’s Praetorian Guard.
I saw a Kristi Noem video at the airport, but it was muted, as it should be
November 24, 2025 at 7:58 PM
I saw a Kristi Noem video at the airport, but it was muted, as it should be
Reposted by Thor Benson
Oh and please subscribe to the new YouTube channel for my newsletter. No content is up yet, but it should be in a month or so!
Thor Benson
The official channel for the Madness newsletter on Ghost. We cover politics, tech and science—with a dose of history. Thor Benson is an independent journalist who has written for publications like Rol...
www.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Oh and please subscribe to the new YouTube channel for my newsletter. No content is up yet, but it should be in a month or so!
Reposted by Thor Benson
It’s neither the lawful answer nor is it the oath they took.
BLITZER: I want to be precise. Should members of the US military obey clearly illegal orders?
McCLAIN: You're asking an enlisted person for their opinion on what they think is legal. That's a pretty slippery slope. Follow your commander in chief. That's the oath that you took
(Not a no!)
McCLAIN: You're asking an enlisted person for their opinion on what they think is legal. That's a pretty slippery slope. Follow your commander in chief. That's the oath that you took
(Not a no!)
November 24, 2025 at 4:58 PM
It’s neither the lawful answer nor is it the oath they took.
Reposted by Thor Benson
PUNCHBOWL: “.. GOP members messaged us over the weekend saying that they, too, are considering retiring in the middle of the term. Here’s one particularly exercised senior House Republican:
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 3:37 PM
PUNCHBOWL: “.. GOP members messaged us over the weekend saying that they, too, are considering retiring in the middle of the term. Here’s one particularly exercised senior House Republican:
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
Reposted by Thor Benson
As Charlie notes, so many of America's top assignment editors still rely on Twitter to get and share their ideas. Here's reason # 735879374985783478509 why that is fucking nuts.
I wrote about the fake account blowup on X this weekend. A genuine post-truth nightmare and proof that these companies have polluted their platforms so thoroughly and traded reality for profit that they've undermined the very idea of what the internet is supposed to be.
That MAGA Account Might Be a Troll From Pakistan
How X blew up its own platform with a new location feature
www.theatlantic.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:47 PM
As Charlie notes, so many of America's top assignment editors still rely on Twitter to get and share their ideas. Here's reason # 735879374985783478509 why that is fucking nuts.
At the airport. Moving to a new city, Chicago, via airplane. Who can move via plane? Only a drifter like me
November 24, 2025 at 4:36 PM
At the airport. Moving to a new city, Chicago, via airplane. Who can move via plane? Only a drifter like me
Trump has aggressively backed the AI industry. He may come to regret that.
The latest from my newsletter:
The latest from my newsletter:
Trump is all-in on AI. That could end terribly.
Trump is placing a big bet on AI. He's betting the entire U.S. economy.
madness.ghost.io
November 24, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Trump has aggressively backed the AI industry. He may come to regret that.
The latest from my newsletter:
The latest from my newsletter:
I find this 2018 picture of Mohammed bin Salman very amusing
November 24, 2025 at 7:23 AM
I find this 2018 picture of Mohammed bin Salman very amusing
Look at us writing newsletters like it's the 1930s
November 24, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Look at us writing newsletters like it's the 1930s
I've been trying to decide what was Marjorie Taylor Greene's best moment as a member of Congress and I've decided it was "Gazpacho police"
November 24, 2025 at 4:47 AM
I've been trying to decide what was Marjorie Taylor Greene's best moment as a member of Congress and I've decided it was "Gazpacho police"
Reposted by Thor Benson
planned economy but it's just the president dictating what he wants to see on his television
A person directly familiar with the conversations tells Semafor that Donald Trump has personally pressed Larry Ellison to revive Brett Ratner's "Rush Hour" franchise.
www.semafor.com/article/11/2...
www.semafor.com/article/11/2...
Exclusive: How Trump is trying to remake American culture — starting with his favorite buddy-cop franchise
The president is offering some creative input on potential upcoming projects.
www.semafor.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:52 AM
planned economy but it's just the president dictating what he wants to see on his television
Every day we stray further from god's light
Good morning. In the past 24 hours, more Americans have Googled “felching” than have searched for “turkey recipes”
November 24, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Every day we stray further from god's light
This is the content I'm looking for
I just bookmarked the Cheetah Cub Cam, this is the fucking cutest
Cheetah Cub Cam
The Cheetah Cub Cam streams live from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia.
nationalzoo.si.edu
November 24, 2025 at 2:07 AM
This is the content I'm looking for
Officially moving to Chicago tomorrow. I assume JB Pritzker will be waiting for me at the airport
November 24, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Officially moving to Chicago tomorrow. I assume JB Pritzker will be waiting for me at the airport
Reposted by Thor Benson
Trump administration policies killing industry running large surplus and supporting middle class jobs in red states
Enrollment by international students from China dropped by 3 percent, from India by 4 percent, and enrollment from students from Mexico has flatlined. Here are the likely consequences for Texas' education and economy:
The High Cost of Targeting International Students in Texas
The Trump administration’s bans and airport detentions are derailing the academic dreams of students who carry out important research—and sometimes pay hefty tuition—to attend Texas institutions.
www.texasobserver.org
November 23, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Trump administration policies killing industry running large surplus and supporting middle class jobs in red states
While many of you are likely yelling "Go Eagles!" or "Go Cowboys!" I'm yelling "Go Robert Mueller and the rule of law!"
November 24, 2025 at 12:53 AM
While many of you are likely yelling "Go Eagles!" or "Go Cowboys!" I'm yelling "Go Robert Mueller and the rule of law!"
Reposted by Thor Benson
Meta halted internal research that purportedly showed (young) people who stopped using Facebook became less depressed and anxious, according to an unredacted legal filing released on Friday. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/m...
Meta halted internal research suggesting social media harm, court filing alleges
Meta is alleged to have halted internal research suggesting social media harm, according to court documents.
www.cnbc.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Meta halted internal research that purportedly showed (young) people who stopped using Facebook became less depressed and anxious, according to an unredacted legal filing released on Friday. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/m...
This Trump guy's a little crazy, huh? I just noticed that. Have you— He seems unhinged! I don't know. We don't still have nuclear bombs, right?
November 24, 2025 at 12:26 AM
This Trump guy's a little crazy, huh? I just noticed that. Have you— He seems unhinged! I don't know. We don't still have nuclear bombs, right?
MasterClass has once again denied my anxiety course
November 24, 2025 at 12:10 AM
MasterClass has once again denied my anxiety course
Democrats should run the inventor of the Shake Weight
The Shamwow Guy just announced that he is running for Texas’ 31st Congressional District.
November 23, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Democrats should run the inventor of the Shake Weight
Reposted by Thor Benson
the last 24 hours on X, summed up:
November 23, 2025 at 2:26 PM
the last 24 hours on X, summed up:
Reposted by Thor Benson
Sorry, MAGA doesn't even support democracy here anymore, I'm supposed to believe they support it in Venezuela? bsky.app/profile/katz...
November 23, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Sorry, MAGA doesn't even support democracy here anymore, I'm supposed to believe they support it in Venezuela? bsky.app/profile/katz...