Gary L. Herstein
@philosophe1957.bsky.social
Philosopher (earned Ph.D., Whitehead scholar), author (sort of), opinionated lefty, cat servant. Only respond to Chats from people I already know. Only follow back folks with some OC. https://independent.academia.edu/GaryHerstein https://garyherstein.com
From elsewhere on the web: "In Texas, kids can learn a whale swallowed a man on God's orders, but not that slavery was wrong."
"The militaristic drive to build the best chatbot and somehow “beat China” knows no bounds, including those of logic. This nightmarish iteration of the extraction economy was made possible by undemocratic processes and a national administration that sold us and our resources out to tech oligarchs."
Nobody Here Wants the Data Center: An Oral History
We’ve gathered stories from all across the country detailing what happens when Big Tech’s latest monstrosities come to town.
newrepublic.com
"while Americans workers are being dragooned into using AI, American consumers are being force-fed AI whether they want it or not. Most dramatically, Google has replaced its search engine with AI, without offering the option to opt out."
Why Does Everyone Hate AI?
It’s the fear, the enshittification, datacenter hostility, and the tech broligarchy
paulkrugman.substack.com
"O’Brien notes that “[b]ecause the U.S. has no significant leverage over Iran, the Trump administration…will simply have to dissemble about non-existent Iranian concessions to try and make it seem that they have not been completely routed”."
June 24, 2026
Today, strategic studies scholar Phillips P.
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
NASA has named the astronauts for the Artemis III mission. No women on the crew this time. I've seen some complaints in the comments about this, but here's the thing:
Republicans say James Talarico ordered a vegan taco. Democrats say that it wasn't vegan because it had both egg and cheese—doubling down on the cultural elitism that has cost them so dearly in recent elections.
“Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.”
From elsewhere on da' web: "Do I agree with everything Satan does? No. But he's tough and gets things done." -MAGA "Christians", basically
Rubio: "I have the softest mouth." Vance: "No, *I* have the softest mouth."
Rubio Tops Cabinet Meetings in Flattery, Vance in Insults
New York Times review compares how secretaries use their time with Trump
newser.com
Quelle surprise: "Many European academics are opting out of one of the largest annual gatherings for business scholars because it is being held in the US, citing concerns over data privacy, their opposition to travel bans and the political climate under the Trump administration."
European academics shun US business conference over Trump fears
Academy of Management to move event in future years as regular attendees stay at home owing to visa fears and opposition to president’s research policies
timeshighereducation.com
For those who don't know: Veterans Day is for those who came home. Memorial day is for those who did not.
“We will not let them.” — Maine Sec. of State Shenna Bellows after a federal judge blocked the DOJ's aggressive demands for private voter data. Read how state officials are successfully fighting back against federal overreach: www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/republican...
"A group of 38 prominent scientists from around the world ... called for a halt on the creation of of a novel synthetic bacteria that, if realized and accidentally leaked into the environment, could dodge typical ecological checks and lead to an uncontrollable spread of deadly infection"
The Doomsday Organism | NOEMA
Scientists working on synthetic “mirror life” have come to realize that, if created, it could pose an existential threat to life on Earth.
noemamag.com
"Independent analysts have also said multi-year-high fuel prices in the United States could weigh on demand during the peak summer travel season, while also posing a major political challenge for Trump just months ahead of midterm elections in November."
US EIA concedes Middle East supply disruptions are far worse than prior estimates
The U.S. Energy Information Administration on Tuesday revised its earlier forecasts to reflect a much bigger and lengthier hit to global oil supplies from the Iran war than it previously projected, h...
reuters.com
"The national drought picture is increasingly grim. According to the latest US Drought Monitor, more than 60% of the lower 48 states are now gripped by drought. It’s the most widespread spring dry spell since the monitor began in 2000."
Lasers in the sky: hi-tech missions track record snowpack loss in US west
Data from missions showing critically low snowpack on mountains across the west raises alarm among experts
theguardian.com
A toolkit for persons who would aspire to be journalists, and not merely stenographers:
Journalism Today — A Toolkit for Reporters
Advice from around the world on how to keep working under threat.
thedial.world
Dana Cooper's Ballad for a battle-scarred, feral cat:
The Ghost of Tucumcari - Dana Cooper - Lyric Video
YouTube video by Dana Cooper
youtube.com
How in the everlovingfuck does a cut in Capital Gains tax help the average voter? How many flavors of stupid are the Republicans, or is that an unfair question because it presupposes a finite number for an answer?
Republicans Eye Capital Gains Tax Cut to Ease Voters’ Anxieties
(Bloomberg) -- Republican lawmakers are looking at ways to lower taxes on capital gains as the party searches for new ways to woo voters worried about the cost of living heading into November’s midter...
yahoo.com
Hope the party was worth it. "The blaze was started by a foil balloon hitting live power lines. That created an electrical arc that ignited combustible material on the ground."
Georgia wildfires that destroyed more than 120 homes continue to threaten residents
Two wildfires in southeastern Georgia continued to threaten homes and lives on Saturday as officials warned that strong winds could spread the flames. Brantley County Manager Joey Cason called it a “...
yahoo.com
"A reader encountering that chorus receives a very clear signal: suspicion is unnecessary here, because the institutions have already done the doubting for you. But the trust in this case would have been wholly misplaced." "American Cosmic" and the dancing woo-woo masters.
What Happens When Peer Review Forgets Demarcation
How Oxford, LARB, and a chorus of praise turned credulity into scholarship and deepened epistemic injury
joncogburn.substack.com