Zeb Larson
@zeblarson.bsky.social
Freelance writer with a PhD in history. Ex-academic; studied the anti-apartheid movement. Emeritus adjunct. Became a software engineer in 2020. Words in Teen Vogue, Smithsonian, Jacobin, BBC.
He/Him
zeb-larson.com
He/Him
zeb-larson.com
Pinned
Zeb Larson
@zeblarson.bsky.social
· Aug 24
I’m pinned beneath a very sleepy, probably sick baby and need a diversion to stay awake.
1 like = 1 album I love and why
1 like = 1 album I love and why
Reposted by Zeb Larson
I have come to believe this as well. The list is too strange. I don’t think a majority wanted to cave, but many more than the 8.
I think that these 8 Senators are falling on the sword for Schumer and other Senators who wanted the shutdown to end. This allows the majority of Senators to save face; and only retiring or not up for reelection Senators take the heat.
It’s a ruse.
It’s a ruse.
November 10, 2025 at 4:31 PM
I have come to believe this as well. The list is too strange. I don’t think a majority wanted to cave, but many more than the 8.
Reposted by Zeb Larson
If you’re in NY, you absolutely should follow and join the efforts of the @nywfp.bsky.social. They are ACTIVE and ON THE BALL and a big part (along with many other parts) of how Mamdani won.
This is a good time to join the WFP @workingfamilies.org I'm a broken record and if they ain't going to learn they need to learn by us not cooperating with their party anymore and building a political force that is so big that can hold different tenants but still have values.
November 10, 2025 at 3:37 PM
If you’re in NY, you absolutely should follow and join the efforts of the @nywfp.bsky.social. They are ACTIVE and ON THE BALL and a big part (along with many other parts) of how Mamdani won.
Reposted by Zeb Larson
My newest piece for Liberal Currents, and a paean to public health. It needs to be the tip of the spear against fascism and it’s a natural leader in the fight for a better world.
Thanks to @gregggonsalves.bsky.social for talking to me as I worked on this.
Thanks to @gregggonsalves.bsky.social for talking to me as I worked on this.
“Understanding the Covid-19 pandemic as a catalyst for right-wing backlash is misleading because it’s too passive” www.liberalcurrents.com/propaganda-r...
Propaganda, Rather than Pandemic Policies, Caused the War on Public Health
The backlash narrative ignores basic facts of the case.
www.liberalcurrents.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:51 PM
My newest piece for Liberal Currents, and a paean to public health. It needs to be the tip of the spear against fascism and it’s a natural leader in the fight for a better world.
Thanks to @gregggonsalves.bsky.social for talking to me as I worked on this.
Thanks to @gregggonsalves.bsky.social for talking to me as I worked on this.
My newest piece for Liberal Currents, and a paean to public health. It needs to be the tip of the spear against fascism and it’s a natural leader in the fight for a better world.
Thanks to @gregggonsalves.bsky.social for talking to me as I worked on this.
Thanks to @gregggonsalves.bsky.social for talking to me as I worked on this.
“Understanding the Covid-19 pandemic as a catalyst for right-wing backlash is misleading because it’s too passive” www.liberalcurrents.com/propaganda-r...
Propaganda, Rather than Pandemic Policies, Caused the War on Public Health
The backlash narrative ignores basic facts of the case.
www.liberalcurrents.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:51 PM
My newest piece for Liberal Currents, and a paean to public health. It needs to be the tip of the spear against fascism and it’s a natural leader in the fight for a better world.
Thanks to @gregggonsalves.bsky.social for talking to me as I worked on this.
Thanks to @gregggonsalves.bsky.social for talking to me as I worked on this.
Reposted by Zeb Larson
Opportunity!
Anybody knows of young marine ecologists (within 7 years from earned PhD) that would like to come to Gothenburg, Sweden, for a nationally funded Assistant Professorship? It is highly competitive but well funded. (1) of (3)
Anybody knows of young marine ecologists (within 7 years from earned PhD) that would like to come to Gothenburg, Sweden, for a nationally funded Assistant Professorship? It is highly competitive but well funded. (1) of (3)
November 10, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Opportunity!
Anybody knows of young marine ecologists (within 7 years from earned PhD) that would like to come to Gothenburg, Sweden, for a nationally funded Assistant Professorship? It is highly competitive but well funded. (1) of (3)
Anybody knows of young marine ecologists (within 7 years from earned PhD) that would like to come to Gothenburg, Sweden, for a nationally funded Assistant Professorship? It is highly competitive but well funded. (1) of (3)
I do feel like this says what their end goal with this is: lose the subsidies and hope Republicans get punished for it. They got absolutely nothing for this beyond a small electoral boost.
God, I feel like I'm going to be sick. Good night.
God, I feel like I'm going to be sick. Good night.
My statement on the funding deal to reopen government, protect federal employees, and vote to protect health care:
November 10, 2025 at 1:34 AM
I do feel like this says what their end goal with this is: lose the subsidies and hope Republicans get punished for it. They got absolutely nothing for this beyond a small electoral boost.
God, I feel like I'm going to be sick. Good night.
God, I feel like I'm going to be sick. Good night.
Reposted by Zeb Larson
i think this is key. taking the deal would amount to taking the blame. it would turn a clear political victory into an unambiguous defeat.
If the Dems blink after all of this, for a deal that all but ensures no ACA subsidies in 2026 anyway, then what was the purpose of letting the shutdown go for 40 days in the first place?
November 10, 2025 at 12:56 AM
i think this is key. taking the deal would amount to taking the blame. it would turn a clear political victory into an unambiguous defeat.
My *really ugly* conspiracy theory is that they kept the shutdown going through the election and know full well that ending it now will cause immeasurable harm — maybe juking turnout next year (but that assigns them malicious intelligence as opposed to greedy incompetence)
Any Democrat who was holding out over SNAP but is now going to cave over corporate air travel needs to be primaried.
And Schumer needs to lose his job.
And Schumer needs to lose his job.
November 9, 2025 at 10:55 PM
My *really ugly* conspiracy theory is that they kept the shutdown going through the election and know full well that ending it now will cause immeasurable harm — maybe juking turnout next year (but that assigns them malicious intelligence as opposed to greedy incompetence)
Reposted by Zeb Larson
Any Democrat who was holding out over SNAP but is now going to cave over corporate air travel needs to be primaried.
And Schumer needs to lose his job.
And Schumer needs to lose his job.
November 9, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Any Democrat who was holding out over SNAP but is now going to cave over corporate air travel needs to be primaried.
And Schumer needs to lose his job.
And Schumer needs to lose his job.
Reposted by Zeb Larson
And now, if you read the devastating piece about what Venezuelan deportees endured at the El Salvador torture prison, read what incarcerated U.S. citizens endure in Alabama prisons.
State prisons in the U.S. that are massive systems of human rights violations.
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...
State prisons in the U.S. that are massive systems of human rights violations.
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...
‘How is this possible?’: a new film looks inside the appalling abuses of the Alabama prison system
In the year’s most shocking documentary, The Alabama Solution, prisoners share astonishing footage in a plea for help
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:38 PM
And now, if you read the devastating piece about what Venezuelan deportees endured at the El Salvador torture prison, read what incarcerated U.S. citizens endure in Alabama prisons.
State prisons in the U.S. that are massive systems of human rights violations.
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...
State prisons in the U.S. that are massive systems of human rights violations.
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...
Reposted by Zeb Larson
Absolutely WILD that the development of sofrware proceeded with so little heed to record-keeping that 52 year old source code is a major archaeological trove that requires special tools to gain access to, like it's a treasure room in a sealed royal tomb from 3500 years ago.
Bell bottom-era tape unearthed, could contain lost piece of Unix history
www.theregister.com/2025/11/07/u...
It might have the first-ever version of UNIX written in C
<- by me on @theregister.com
www.theregister.com/2025/11/07/u...
It might have the first-ever version of UNIX written in C
<- by me on @theregister.com
52 year old data tape could contain Unix history
: It might have the first-ever version of UNIX written in C
www.theregister.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Absolutely WILD that the development of sofrware proceeded with so little heed to record-keeping that 52 year old source code is a major archaeological trove that requires special tools to gain access to, like it's a treasure room in a sealed royal tomb from 3500 years ago.
Reposted by Zeb Larson
Rowsdower 2028
November 9, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Rowsdower 2028
This is one of those "adjunctification accelerates" moments: the University of Sydney has been hiring undergraduates to teach labs and workshops.
U-turn at USYD: Uni scrambles after breaching federal requirements
The situation in the engineering faculty comes at a time when the higher education sector is increasingly under fire, with a string of recent controversies at Australian universities.
www.crikey.com.au
November 9, 2025 at 11:05 AM
This is one of those "adjunctification accelerates" moments: the University of Sydney has been hiring undergraduates to teach labs and workshops.
Reposted by Zeb Larson
me yesterday: look, Chuck Schumer is an incompetent dipshit, but somehow he’s played the shutdown semi-functionally because his opponents are even stupider
today: you fool, you idiot, Chuck Schumer has only appeared vaguely competent because his caucus actively revolted
should have known better
today: you fool, you idiot, Chuck Schumer has only appeared vaguely competent because his caucus actively revolted
should have known better
SCOOP: Schumer was more involved than reported with the attempted cave on the government shutdown. The Gang of 8 Senate Dems had his approval & he was getting daily updates.
In Thursday's caucus meeting, the Gang claimed they had 10 votes to cave. The caucus went nuts, leading to the new proposal.
In Thursday's caucus meeting, the Gang claimed they had 10 votes to cave. The caucus went nuts, leading to the new proposal.
Why Does Schumer Keep Trying to Cave? - The American Prospect
Most commentators, including me, concluded that the Tuesday election victory saved Democrats from capitulating to Republican demands to pass a simple continuing resolution to re-open the government, i...
prospect.org
November 9, 2025 at 12:46 AM
me yesterday: look, Chuck Schumer is an incompetent dipshit, but somehow he’s played the shutdown semi-functionally because his opponents are even stupider
today: you fool, you idiot, Chuck Schumer has only appeared vaguely competent because his caucus actively revolted
should have known better
today: you fool, you idiot, Chuck Schumer has only appeared vaguely competent because his caucus actively revolted
should have known better
I am no longer Zeb. I am Action Man.
November 8, 2025 at 10:36 PM
I am no longer Zeb. I am Action Man.
I love that they can’t find a sinister-looking photo of Mamdani even when they’re trying to slam him
November 8, 2025 at 5:47 PM
I love that they can’t find a sinister-looking photo of Mamdani even when they’re trying to slam him
The weekend has begun, Ole’s had a tough night, and my wife has something (we’re hoping food poisoning because the alternatives aren’t great). Send thoughts and prayers, or music suggestions, or podcasts, or whatever.
November 8, 2025 at 11:15 AM
The weekend has begun, Ole’s had a tough night, and my wife has something (we’re hoping food poisoning because the alternatives aren’t great). Send thoughts and prayers, or music suggestions, or podcasts, or whatever.
Reposted by Zeb Larson
my observation (not that i will ever learn this) is that people don't want to be a part of Big Ideas, but they will do small projects. the way to get to a Big Idea Project is to organize a lot of people who feel comfortable with small things into a larger thing but without mentioning any big ideas
i'm in the uncomfortable position of having sent too many grandiose emails while high on coffee this morning
November 8, 2025 at 1:06 AM
my observation (not that i will ever learn this) is that people don't want to be a part of Big Ideas, but they will do small projects. the way to get to a Big Idea Project is to organize a lot of people who feel comfortable with small things into a larger thing but without mentioning any big ideas
Reposted by Zeb Larson
I lived and worked in SF for over a decade, in media and in the labor movement, and never heard a single person refer to Nancy Pelosi as “mom” wtaf
November 7, 2025 at 6:36 AM
I lived and worked in SF for over a decade, in media and in the labor movement, and never heard a single person refer to Nancy Pelosi as “mom” wtaf
I have a tender place for this episode because it's basically about what happens when an Honors student fucks up, and it also humanizes and improves a character who was really badly written at first and then got better over time.
Star Trek TNG, S5E19: Captain Picard yells at Wesley do to the right thing and Nick Lorcano* yells at Wesley to do the wrong thing, and Wes has to decide who he's more afraid of
*legally distinct from Tom Paris
8/10 cool story, shame none of this will ever come up again
*legally distinct from Tom Paris
8/10 cool story, shame none of this will ever come up again
November 7, 2025 at 4:06 PM
I have a tender place for this episode because it's basically about what happens when an Honors student fucks up, and it also humanizes and improves a character who was really badly written at first and then got better over time.
Reposted by Zeb Larson
To celebrate our 25th anniversary, we asked 25 writers we admire—from @jeetheer.bsky.social to @anamariecox.bsky.social—to reflect on a moment from the past 25 years of digital media. Read @joshtpm.bsky.social's intro to the project: Pivots, Trolls + Blog Rolls
talkingpointsmemo.com/tpm-25/the-o...
talkingpointsmemo.com/tpm-25/the-o...
The Original Sin of Digital Media Was the Belief That Digital Journalists Were Part of the Tech Business
I want to begin this introduction to our 25th anniversary essay series...
talkingpointsmemo.com
October 16, 2025 at 3:40 PM
To celebrate our 25th anniversary, we asked 25 writers we admire—from @jeetheer.bsky.social to @anamariecox.bsky.social—to reflect on a moment from the past 25 years of digital media. Read @joshtpm.bsky.social's intro to the project: Pivots, Trolls + Blog Rolls
talkingpointsmemo.com/tpm-25/the-o...
talkingpointsmemo.com/tpm-25/the-o...
Reposted by Zeb Larson
In the not too distant future, Neom -- and its predictable failure -- will be seen as the defining metaphor for our times.
November 7, 2025 at 10:36 AM
In the not too distant future, Neom -- and its predictable failure -- will be seen as the defining metaphor for our times.
That’s also what would win acceptance. The reason that the right-wing media ecosystem works so well is that somebody like Rogan isn’t fully dictated to by the RNC.
(One could make the same argument about the Dems, but I think they’re terrified of losing control and assume the MSM is reliable).
(One could make the same argument about the Dems, but I think they’re terrified of losing control and assume the MSM is reliable).
The AFL-CIO should start throwing some money towards labor journalism. If it was done right (i.e. with them accepting that journalists must have full editorial control over what’s published, whether or not union leaders like what they have to say) it could really have such a hugely positive impact
November 6, 2025 at 10:56 PM
That’s also what would win acceptance. The reason that the right-wing media ecosystem works so well is that somebody like Rogan isn’t fully dictated to by the RNC.
(One could make the same argument about the Dems, but I think they’re terrified of losing control and assume the MSM is reliable).
(One could make the same argument about the Dems, but I think they’re terrified of losing control and assume the MSM is reliable).
Reposted by Zeb Larson
The AFL-CIO should start throwing some money towards labor journalism. If it was done right (i.e. with them accepting that journalists must have full editorial control over what’s published, whether or not union leaders like what they have to say) it could really have such a hugely positive impact
November 6, 2025 at 8:21 PM
The AFL-CIO should start throwing some money towards labor journalism. If it was done right (i.e. with them accepting that journalists must have full editorial control over what’s published, whether or not union leaders like what they have to say) it could really have such a hugely positive impact