The empathy aliens are not coming to save us www.theamericanvandal.com/p/2026-a-spa...
2026: A SpaceX Odyssey
The Empathy Aliens Are Not Coming To Save Us
theamericanvandal.com
Citizen of Somewhere Else
@citizense.bsky.social
this one's personal: governance wonk; rural regional public prof; sf/fantasy/comics/anime nerd; golf otaku; ex-pitcher/point guard/union goon (still HELU/CAHE); newly empty nester; mostly harmless Hawthornist; #PublicGoodU
So many people I encounter, especially in HigherEd, believe the only strategy for this moment is "keep your head down." @debtcollective.bsky.social didn't change priorities in 2024, nor in 2020, nor in 2016. They barreled ahead. There first big win was $800 million. This one is $11 billion.
Tressie McMillan Cottom@tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 7h agoCongratulations to everyone who worked their asses off for something that any semi-decent and ultimately self-interested government should have done in penance www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/b...
I've read most of the books on @tressiemcphd.bsky.social's proposed reading list and plan to read the rest. These are excellent recommendations. In fact, @gilduran.com (author of The Nerd Reich) will be a guest on Movement Memos soon.
Opinion | Want to Fight Back Against Big Tech? Start Here. (Gift Article)
A.I. is a political theory. And it is gobbling up our democracy.
nytimes.com
I have a master's degree in Ancient Greek and Roman Studies, I've studied the 'Odyssey' in Ancient Greek, and I've been writing about the ancient world for over a decade. This is my exhaustive review of Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey'. #Odyssey #classics talesoftimesforgotten.com/2026/07/23/a...
An Ancient Historian's Breakdown of Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' - Tales of Times Forgotten
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is perhaps the most highly anticipated new film of the 2020s. It has already received near-universal acclaim from film critics and earned more at the box office in its ...
talesoftimesforgotten.com
This is the story of how a group of perfectly ordinary neighbors took on one of the worst landlords in New York. And won. Introducing, the Union of Pinnacle Tenants: the short film. Watch the full film: youtu.be/h5dvGKI26ZA
This Day in Labor History: August 5, 1993. The Family and Medical Leave Act went into effect. This was an important, if not world-changing, piece of legislation that demonstrates the historical difficulties of groundbreaking expansions of the welfare state in the U.S.
I’ve been screening our documentary with organizing communities in the South. So far, the organizers mention data centers first at every single event. From racial justice orgs to old school activists who don’t usually think about tech policy. This has legs.
He spent one year visiting schools. I’ve been teaching high school and writing about this issue for years and I don’t think this is a good idea.
Annie Abrams@annieabrams.bsky.social · 2d agoI have a lot of thoughts www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/o...
“The American Association of University Professors is joined in the Texas A&M lawsuit by four faculty plaintiffs, each of whom says the policy prompted their course to be canceled or not offered.” www.chronicle.com/article/what...
‘What Are We Even Doing Here?': New Lawsuit Challenges Ban on Race and Gender Topics at Texas A&M
Plaintiffs included four faculty members whose courses were canceled or not offered.
chronicle.com
"The events of Ray Bradbury’s short story “There Will Come Soft Rains” occur today: August 4, 2026. Like so many dates in science fiction, this one probably seemed far away when it was chosen, but once it was finally upon us, it passed like all days." www.rogerebert.com/mzs/silhouet...
Silhouettes and Warnings: On Reading Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains" On the Exact Day When It's Set
The events of Ray Bradbury's short story "There Will Come Soft Rains" occur today: August 4, 2026.
rogerebert.com
I've lived in rural (and urban-ish) North Louisiana going on 15 years. Mostly deep red, pockets of light blue. I've not seen people organize around any issue like the data centers. They won't beat Amazon's and Meta's money in the short term, but they're ripe for mobilization.
Tressie McMillan Cottom@tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 7h agoI’ve been screening our documentary with organizing communities in the South. So far, the organizers mention data centers first at every single event. From racial justice orgs to old school activists who don’t usually think about tech policy. This has legs.
“By embarking on a campaign of censorship, Texas A&M has abdicated its responsibility to support students’ right to learn & faculty’s right to teach. A university that censors Plato & other texts abandons its obligation to truth, free inquiry, & the public trust.” — Todd Wolfson, AAUP president 5
AAUP President Todd Wolfson: An Institution That Censors Plato is Not a Serious Institution of Higher Learning
Censoring Plato is an academic absurdity and a textbook violation of academic freedom. Barring a foundational philosopher who is a cornerstone of Western thought because his work touches on race or ge...
aaup.org
You can/should read Emily Wilson's latest take on the Odyssey, but I'm logging on to convey my hairdresser's reaction. She was AGHAST that Nolan, with his million $ budget, gave Matt Damon ONLY 6 hair extensions. As a result, his hair did not blow around properly, & that ruined the film for her.
BREAKING: We're suing Texas A&M over the university system’s unconstitutional censorship policy. Administrators are canceling or restricting courses that discuss race, gender, and sexual orientation. Public universities are meant for sharing knowledge — not banning it.
While this is a HUGE WIN, there's more work to do. It's time to DOUBLE DOWN in pressuring Congress. They need to revoke the OMB Proposal. Members of Congress who fail to stop the Proposal will be out of a job January 3rd, 2027, we will make sure of it. 🧵
Darn it, I forgot to post this on “There Will Come Soft Rains” Day.
Boing Boing@boingboing.net · yesterdayRay Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains" is set today, August 4, 2026, in Allendale, California. A voice-clock chirps the time, the stove makes breakfast for eight, and the house keeps running for a family that's no longer there.
"Intellectual pluralism" is the renamed viewpoint diversity in this ongoing shakedown of universities.
A Sneakier Attempt at Extortion
BY HANK REICHMAN “If at first you don’t succeed . . .” The Trump administration is at it again. With their much-ballyhooed “Compact for Excellence in Higher Education̶…
academeblog.org
Many thanks to @edufuturist.bsky.social for his thoughts on Compact 2.0 and for referring to this thread. bryanalexander.org/politics/com...
Compact 2.0 and the McMahon statement: the Secretary of Education issues a call to action
Greetings from early August. For some this is vacation season, but for me it’s full-tilt work. I’m pitching a new book, ramping up video and Substack content, setting up speaking gigs…
bryanalexander.org
Emily Wilson now in the ATLANTIC- more against Nolan’s Odyssey: “In these times of hatred and misinformation, we need more than the ‘apparent magic’ of deceptive images. We need art that is truthful about the costs and the necessity of compassion“
A Trojan Horse Is Supposed to Have Humans Inside It
Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey is full of contradictions about deceit and violence.
theatlantic.com
An interesting piece out from @democratictheory.bsky.social. One of the things Mamdani’s campaign & admin does that is replicable & good for democracy beyond policy is to broaden opportunities for civic connection & tell increasingly layered stories of peoplehood w/ “the people” being New Yorkers.
Mamdani’s Mending Story: Rescaling Democratic Peoplehood in an Age of Interregnum | Democratic Theory | Cambridge Core
Mamdani’s Mending Story: Rescaling Democratic Peoplehood in an Age of Interregnum
cambridge.org
They could always sign up to give comment at a public meeting.
The Wall Street Journal@wsj.com · 18h agoNew York City’s business elites are long accustomed to direct access to City Hall, where even Democratic mayors felt the need to court the city’s wealthiest and most influential corporate leaders. That access is getting shredded by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Trying out the features in Claude for education. Join me as I see how it "helps" me write a research paper. My chosen topic: "AI and education". /1
Congratulations to everyone who worked their asses off for something that any semi-decent and ultimately self-interested government should have done in penance www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/b...
Education Dept. to Wipe Out Student Loans of 170,000 More Defrauded Borrowers (Gift Article)
The sprawling case, centered on students defrauded by for-profit schools, has now become the largest class-action settlement in American history.
nytimes.com
BREAKING NEWS! The Senate has paused the OMB rule that would put Trump appointees in charge of federal spending. Next step - Contact your MoC and tell them to permanently REVOKE THE RULE: zurl.co/1SXEN Article: zurl.co/23mF8
Senate finalizes funding patch that would block Trump’s grant overhaul
Language is included to delay the president’s move to put political appointees in charge of grant approval.
zurl.co
Guy who learned about Michigan geography from Journey: It will all come down to precincts in South Detroit.
Another banger from @aclu.org @aaup.org www.aclutx.org/press-releas...
ACLU of Texas, Professors Sue Texas A&M System Over Censorship Policy, Detail Violations of Academic Freedom - ACLU of Texas
Faculty have been instructed to remove educational materials — like the film “Moonlight” and writings by Plato — from syllabi following policy banning race, gender, and sexual orientation related topi...
aclutx.org
Everything is big in Texas. Including the racism, bigotry & law breaking across Texas’ public universities. And the resistance. The lawsuits are here. First one hit Tech. This one hits A&M. UT just matter of time. @texasaaup.bsky.social @aaup.org
Gautam Hans@gshans.bsky.social · yesterdayAnother banger from @aclu.org @aaup.org www.aclutx.org/press-releas...