John Schwartz
@jswatz.bsky.social
UT Austin journalism professor; former NYT, WP. he/him. Galveston BOI. Born at 314.8 ppm CO2.
AI “friends” purportedly help us by acting as supportive companions telling us what we want to hear. How’s that working out for Trump and his cabinet?
Gee, looks like when you panic about political trends and try to keep people from voting, they get mad. www.texastribune.org/2026/08/04/t...
Arrests made during Tarrant County meeting on voting site cuts
Lon Burnam, a former Texas House Democrat, was carried out of the meeting by deputies who told him he was under arrest.
texastribune.org
The lawsuit alleges that Texas A&M ... required Sadler to remove the Academy Award-winning film “Moonlight” and a poem titled “Trans-Generation” from another course. Administrators allowed him to show “Barbie,” the complaint says. www.texastribune.org/2026/08/04/t...
Texas A&M sued over teaching limits on race, gender
This is the second Texas university system sued over teaching restrictions in recent weeks.
texastribune.org
Hiking at Harper’s Ferry we saw great views and animal frens
Thanks, Trump. We're losing a great one. www.kxan.com/news/texas/p...
Popular Pflugerville barbecue restaurant blames ‘outrageous cost of beef’ for closure
Brotherton’s Black Iron Barbecue announced it will close Aug. 30 after nearly nine years in Pflugerville. The restaurant cited the economy and rising beef costs, while USDA forecasts show cat…
kxan.com
We don't need 11 icebreakers. But Trump wants 11 icebreakers. So apparently we're getting 11 icebreakers. Did I mention the no-bid contracts? www.nytimes.com/2026/08/01/c...
Trump’s Fixation on Arctic Ships Led to Billions in No-Bid Contracts
The president decided to buy 11 polar icebreakers after a game of golf with Finland’s president. Experts say it’s far from clear the United States needs so many.
nytimes.com
Climate deniers: the 1930s were hotter Actual climate scientists: nope open.substack.com/pub/theclima...
Fixing one of climate’s worst plots
the 1930s were hot over the U.S. Midwest, but not that hot
open.substack.com
On our quick visit to D.C., we did the disaster tour: the idiotically damaged reflecting pool, the crane over the demolished East Wing, shut-down Lafayette Park — all behind fencing intended to obscure our view of Trump’s many follies and failures.
Kinda spicy, @peterbakernyt.bsky.social — I like it. “‘MY REAL POLL NUMBERS ARE THE HIGHEST THEY HAVE EVER BEEN,’ he wrote on social media, using capital letters as if they would shout away any contrary data.” www.nytimes.com/2026/08/01/u...
Trump’s Polling Numbers Hit a New Low. Don’t Expect Him to Change Course. (Gift Article)
Barely a third of Americans approve of Mr. Trump’s handling of the job, putting him at historic depths for a second-term president at this stage of his tenure.
nytimes.com
On a quick visit to D.C. to get a grandchild to her summer camp, I had a free morning. So I finally got to see Supergirl — which I loved, so get stuffed, incel critics — and grabbed a perfect lunch at Ben’s Chili Bowl.
This vindictive and idiotic case will end, but where is the apology? And who will pay his legal expenses? www.nytimes.com/2026/07/31/u...
Charges to Be Dropped Against Ex-Olympian David Hearn Accused of Damaging Reflecting Pool (Gift Article)
President Trump had repeatedly accused vandals of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. On Friday, federal prosecutors acknowledged it was “the result of flawed installation.”
nytimes.com
I devoured this brilliant and enraging book by @pamelacolloff.bsky.social in one sitting. What a tremendous feat of reporting, and what a stunning chain of tragedies she describes. Brava. www.audible.com/pd/B0FX184Y6...
Catch the Devil
Check out this great listen on Audible.com. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The riveting, true story of an audacious con man who helped send another man to death row for a murder he did not commit “Incend...
audible.com
Passing through Hope, Arkansas, the birthplace of Bill Clinton. So of course I had to honor him by stopping at McDonald’s.
So it looks like the system is working precisely as designed. www.texastribune.org/2026/07/30/t...
Texas finds some registered voters wrongly flagged as noncitizens
The secretary of state told counties to immediately reinstate any Texans who were removed from the voter roll despite showing DPS proof of citizenship.
texastribune.org
The indispensable @jamellebouie.net: Musk's efforts to spread hate are more important than his cars and rockets. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/29/o...
Opinion | Why Do We Tolerate Elon Musk’s Racist Commentary? (Gift Article)
Why does the owner of X get a pass for what he says and does there?
nytimes.com
See the reason Trump needs that big ballroom is to have a place to put all of the people who are living rent-free inside his head. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/29/u...
Trump Demanded Details of Agents’ Interview of Comey, New Filing Says (Gift Article)
The demand suggests the intense personal involvement of President Trump in investigating one of his longtime critics, the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey.
nytimes.com
Rand Paul is the kind of legislative bully I’ve always detested. Fauci accused him of having an “unhinged obsession with me,” which shows that you can still hear the truth in a committee hearing. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/29/u...
Fauci Invokes the Fifth Amendment, Refusing to Answer Senate Committee Questions
The panel’s chairman, Rand Paul, has long accused Dr. Fauci of funding research that triggered the Covid pandemic and lying about it to Congress — charges Dr. Fauci denies.
nytimes.com
My opponent has spent years doing favors for his friends instead of solving real problems for real Texans. 💪 Help me kick him out of office: Goodwin4Texas.com/volunteer
This has been my summer of H•E•B melons, and this story gave me the background I've been yearning to know. www.texasmonthly.com/food/heb-dre...
H-E-B’s Dream Melons Are the Only Summer Produce I Care About
The special fruits—far from your average honeydew or cantaloupe—have spawned a cult fandom.
texasmonthly.com
Pedal to the metal, people. www.texastribune.org/2026/07/28/t...
Talarico leads Paxton by 5 points in new Texas Senate poll
The poll found the Austin Democrat with a commanding lead among independents and a surprising edge with non-college-educated voters, who have consistently favored Republicans.
texastribune.org
We should aim to live our lives so well and meaningfully as Darren Walker. www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
He Didn’t Plan to Buy in Los Angeles. The Perfect Home Changed His Mind.
Darren Walker, president of Anonymous Content, filled the Paul Revere Williams–designed house with sleek furnishings and a curated collection of Black art.
wsj.com
Bill Grueskin@bgrueskin.bsky.social · last wk.Marc Rosenblum, executive director of DHS' statistics dept, is out. And he couldn't be happier about it: "Between the war on immigrants, the war on feds, and the war on facts (not to mention the crazy war in Iran & the brazen corruption), I just need a change" 1/2 www.linkedin.com/in/marc-rose...
"but fires have always happened, duh!" No. Climate change is making things worse around the globe. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/25/w...
A Summer of Extremes Set the Conditions for Europe’s Wildfires
nytimes.com
