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 ago

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...

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.

Whatever part of me evolved to survive lions sees a lion shaped hole in threaded emails.

Ahem: www.semafor.com/article/04/2...

Exclusive: Axel Springer, Politico execs meet with staff after letter warns CEO risks ‘undermining our reputation’

The letter singled out two recent op-eds by parent company CEO Matthias Dopfner.

semafor.com

Politico@politico.com · 12h ago

Progressives didn’t get the big election night they wanted

Missouri voters on Tuesday rejected an attempt by the Republican-controlled Legislature to make it harder to pass citizen-sponsored amendments to the state’s constitution, preserving a tool that voters across the country have relied on to pass laws their legislatures would not. nyti.ms/3TCTELv

hell yes! This is a really important win to continue to protect both reproductive rights in Kansas but also an independent judiciary

Decision Desk HQ@decisiondeskhq.bsky.social · 19h ago

Decision Desk HQ projects No wins the Kansas Constitutional Amendment - Elections for Supreme Court Justices #DecisionMade: 9:00 PM EDT

Ok Cindy I know literally nothing about you but lfg

Decision Desk HQ@decisiondeskhq.bsky.social · 18h ago

Decision Desk HQ projects Cindy Holscher wins the KS Governor Democratic Primary #DecisionMade: 9:55 PM EDT

I'm bummed that the Lt Gov wasn't interested in running bc he was an even more prototypically "Kansas" Dem than Kelly and would have been if not a lock, a more known quantity. I have a feeling whoever comes out of this one is going to get some of my limited $$

Decision Desk HQ@decisiondeskhq.bsky.social · 19h ago

DDHQ Race Update (est. 18% in): Kansas Governor Democratic Primary Ethan Corson (D): 19,219 (44.2%) Cindy Holscher (D): 18,385 (42.3%) Curt Skoog (D): 5,861 (13.5%) Follow more results here: votes.decisiondeskhq.com/races/283896

hell yes cmon

Decision Desk HQ@decisiondeskhq.bsky.social · 19h ago

DDHQ Race Update (est. 14% in): Kansas Constitutional Amendment - Elections for Supreme Court Justices No (N): 63,298 (72.7%) Yes (N): 23,724 (27.3%) Follow more results here: votes.decisiondeskhq.com/races/718013

A combined 100,000+ people with past felony convictions have either already gained or will soon gain voting rights in Missouri and Virginia, which both have elections today. More: boltsmag.org/gop-run-miss... boltsmag.org/virginia-gov...

I think she’s doing a spectacular job showcasing her work. It is so rare to have this level of attention on an academic craft or expertise. Part of the reason academics struggle to do more public work is because the media cycle demands the hooks I mentioned. This is a genius use of that dynamic.

I’ve seen some ppl say about the critiques “this isn’t a film review” “she doesn’t know how to be a film critic.” I think that largely misses the point of what is being done in those pieces. Which is showing the public how literary criticism and translation is done with the expertise it requires

One of the things I don’t think some get about the Wilson critiques of The Odyssey is that one of the only and best ways academics can make our work and expertise relevant and available to the public is to pick a hot topic or newsworthy story and use it as an entry point to that expertise/research

one of the biggest stakes tomorrow: boltsmag.org/missouri-ame...

@moiradonegan.bsky.social notes "“If this was true, I would be in jail” is not a real profession of innocence; it is a brag about how strenuously the state protects the male right of private sphere violence against women and children."

Dark money, misleading claims flood Kansas ahead of judicial selection referendum | via @anna-writes.bsky.social and @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

Dark money, misleading claims flood Kansas ahead of judicial selection referendum • Kansas Reflector

Partisan donors have spent at least $12.8 million in Kansas on dozens of television ads and stacks of mailers, advocating for or against a ballot referendum that could determine the political temperat...

kansasreflector.com

Johanna Fernandez—Presente!

As a Religious Studies professor, this directly targets my livelihood in a way that makes a mockery of any supposed profession of concern the administration has ever expressed for me as a Jewish person on campus.

The New Republic@newrepublic.com · 2d ago

President Trump is banning students majoring in degrees that don’t make enough money from taking out college loans. Degrees for social work, art, religious studies, teaching aides, and music will be hit the hardest. trib.al/aaAEu6v

Well, time to write to my alma mater and tell them if they keep this shit up they can kiss a fully funded scholarship my parents set up goodbye.

Megan Zahneis@mzahneis.bsky.social · 2d ago

The presidents of WashU, Arizona State, Kansas, and Johns Hopkins, in concert with the Association of American Universities, helped draft a new version of last year's White House compact. “We’d much rather be a partner than play the guessing game as we have been,” Kansas' president told Bloomberg.

I'm confused, didn't the former DNC chair basically call out Mamdani for running as a Democrat when he "hates the party"?

Democrats@democrats.org · 2d ago

HUGE: Under Mayor Mamdani, New York City just recorded its safest first 7 months of a year in history—and its safest July ever. In July: Major crime dropped 13% Murder dropped 32% Robberies dropped 15% Vehicle thefts dropped 25% Democratic mayors are putting public safety first.

We’ve had a busy few days gathering support and finding our footing. Guest posts, action items, and more coming soon! There is also some merch (proceeds to Arkansas Library Association) with the possum logo available at: www.bonfire.com/store/arkans...

Arkansas Library Association | Official Merchandise | Bonfire

Show your support for libraries all over Arkansas with merchandise from the Arkansas Library Association.

bonfire.com

This this this. Following @arrighttoread.bsky.social to stay abreast of what's happening in AR and how to get involved.

Arkansas Right to Read@arrighttoread.bsky.social · 2d ago

Follow us here and sign up on the site to stay in the loop as we evaluate options. There are MANY fighters in Arkansas committed to providing access and upholding First Amendment rights. Join us!

History has shown that arresting librarians and booksellers has never led to greater freedom or liberty. Yet here we are...

Arresting Librarians AND Booksellers in the United States

History has shown that arresting librarians and booksellers has never led to greater freedom or liberty.

buff.ly

Scoop: The Trump administration is sending a letter to college presidents asking them to pledge a series of policy changes by the end of the year. Unlike last year's Compact, this effort was devised with input from higher ed leaders. Free link to my exclusive: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

McMahon Asks US Colleges to Pledge Campus Reforms by End of 2026

Education Secretary Linda McMahon is sending a letter Monday to the leaders of US universities asking them to commit to a slate of campus reforms by the end of 2026 in the Trump administration’s lates...

bloomberg.com

Feds want unis: "reexamining admissions practices, hiring more conservative faculty, cracking down on student protests, combating grade inflation, reducing foreign donations and lowering tuition." Some faculty will fall for this nonsense. The bigger worry is that boards and presidents will.

So no I'm not surprised by: "the administration’s latest move was developed in partnership with university leaders, primarily the Association of American Universities, which represents dozens of top research institutions including all eight Ivy League colleges." 🎁 www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

McMahon Asks US Colleges to Pledge Campus Reforms by End of 2026

Education Secretary Linda McMahon is sending a letter Monday to the leaders of US universities asking them to commit to a slate of campus reforms by the end of 2026 in the Trump administration’s lates...

bloomberg.com

Me on the AAU "The AAU claims to be comprised of America’s leading research unis...But if the member presidents choose the guise of institutional neutrality as a way to gain political cover, they may now be leading higher ed toward greater authoritarianism." www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...

How Elite Colleges Aided Censorship During the Red Scares

Powerful organizations during the Red Scares crafted a world where “academic freedom” was conditional on political allegiance.

insidehighered.com

Her book transformed my understanding of the Young Lords and I hope once the family and her loved ones have taken the time to grieve that her archives find a good home so that future scholars can benefit from her extensive scholarship ✊️

Karl Jacoby@karl-jacoby.bsky.social · 2d ago

Rest in Power to Johanna Fernández, leading historian of NYC amsterdamnews.com/news/2026/08...

Tired of the heat, Denver? ❄️ Earliest measurable snowfall: Sep 3, 1961 (35 days) 🌡️ Avg high drops below 80°: Sep 17 (49 days) 🍂 Official start of fall: Sep 22 (54 days) 🍁 Avg 1st freeze/avg high drops below 70°: Oct 7 (69 days) 🌨️ Average 1st snow: Oct 18 (80 days) #COwx

Heads up: It's going to get extra smoky for Denver and northeast Colorado tomorrow night and Tuesday AM. A cold front will drag in wildfire smoke from the Pacific Northwest, and it's probably going to be very noticeable on Tuesday. (at least it'll be cooler though, too) #COwx