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sascha benjamin cohen

@saschaben.bsky.social

630 followers 930 following 5.4K posts

"'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart, or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me." - Elwood P. Dowd Baker of Bread. Brewer of Beer. Altogether awkward but not entirely unpleasant person.

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sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · Oct 21

Poetry, you say? Odd short fiction, you say? Snarky humor, you say? Serious work on religious and biblical narrative, you say?

Why yes, I've written some stuff like that...

www.amazon.com/stores/Sasch...

Sascha Benjamin Cohen: books, biography, latest update

Follow Sascha Benjamin Cohen and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com's Sascha Benjamin Cohen Author Page.

www.amazon.com

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sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 8h

The sad proof that billionaire brain rot is inescapable, even if you start from a (relatively) sane foundation in life.

Benioff can do a certain unspeakable act to himself with his Dark Tower and just keep his mouth shut from here on out.

Heather Knight @heatherknightsf.bsky.social · 10h

For years, San Franciscans considered him the rare big-hearted billionaire. But days before his Dreamforce conference begins, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said he would support President Trump sending the National Guard to SF and that Trump is doing “a great job.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

Marc Benioff Says Trump Should Send Guard Troops to San Francisco

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by sascha benjamin cohen

David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 10h

I think we have enough info to piece it together:
1-Trump threatened mass firings
2-The lawyers told him he can't
3-He risked looking weak
4-He decided to do the firings anyway

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sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 10h

A progressive tax, a max rate of 90% at > $250 million.
Progressive capital gains tax, matching the income tax.
A wealth tax over $450 million.

Universal education.
Universal day care.
Universal health care.

Shabbat shalom, a gut yontif, find some joy for yourself and your loved ones.

sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 10h

my pre-shabbat thought:

I have nothing against the filthy rich. But once your wealth is equivalent to that of a small nation, you should get cut off by the capitalism bartender. No individual needs, nor should have that much, regardless of their benevolence or lack thereof.

Reposted by sascha benjamin cohen

Dan Froomkin/Press Watch/Heads Up News @froomkin.bsky.social · 15h

Outrageous -- and apparently in blatant violation of yesterday's ruling protecting protesters and journalists from this kind of shit. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/10/w...

WGN-TV producer detained during ICE enforcement action in Lincoln Square

A WGN-TV video editor and producer was roughly detained by two Border Patrol agents on Friday morning during a highly visible rush hour enforcement action in Lincoln Square.

www.chicagotribune.com

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sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 15h

Perhaps he meant "recession package"

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 17h

Q: Rescission are something Dems have said is a reason for a lack of trust. What rescissions are you discussing?

JOHNSON: We have more than $37t in debt. We're doing everything we can to get us back to sound fiscal responsibility. What does that include? A rescission package is part of our process

sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 16h

For a number of years, I had the pleasure of my commute being by ferry (SF - Alameda) and I remain fully convinced that this is The Best Way To Commute.

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sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 16h

All jokes aside, I think we can draw a straight line between the battles against fascism in the 20th century and the massive rise of chaotic absurdist comedy - Marx Brothers, Looney Tunes, The Goon Show, TWTYTW, Monty Python - and accept that the opposition to evil is founded on humor.

Elle @elleisanisland.bsky.social · 1d

Founder of Antifa

Reposted by sascha benjamin cohen

Dr. William Horne @wihorne.bsky.social · 17h

I’m teaching abt Red Summer today, when white vigilantes & National Guardsmen across the country harassed, detained, assaulted, & murdered Black Americans as part of a backlash against Black military service in WWI.

Red Summer of 1919

eji.org

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sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 17h

Wait til you learn about the Saudi farms across Arizona and environs that squander the available water in the West:

In drought-stricken Arizona, fresh scrutiny of Saudi Arabia-owned farm's water use

In Arizona, worsening drought has brought renewed attention to a farm owned by a Saudi Arabian company and whether the state should be doing more to protect its groundwater resources.

www.pbs.org

Reposted by sascha benjamin cohen

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 18h

Breaking: MIT rejected President Trump’s "compact," which offers colleges funding advantages in exchange for far-reaching reforms. It is the first school to do so.

MIT Rejects Trump’s Sweeping ‘Compact’ Offering Colleges Funding Advantages

The school became the first university to reject the terms, saying they would undermine independence.

on.wsj.com

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sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

30 years ago I was researching the semiotics of fire and of light in Islamic and early Christian religious narratives, but got distracted by life and a new century and all that.

Wondering if I want to return to it.

Reposted by sascha benjamin cohen

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 1d

antifa in portland just announced they will be hosting a counter halftime show to counter turning point's counter halftime show

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sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

In all honesty, this headline for this article on this topic is pure, unadulterated gold.

You won’t believe what degrading practice the pope just condemned

Communication must be freed from clickbait and misguided thinking, head of Catholic church tells journalists

www.theguardian.com

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sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

more details, none reassuring tbh

US to send troops to Israel to support and help monitor ceasefire deal, officials say

Officials say US to establish center in Israel to help flow of humanitarian aid and logistical and security aid

www.theguardian.com

sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

Hmm. While not entirely shocking, this is a new development to me, and frankly one with very poor historical parallels and reverberations.

"The United States is sending 200 troops to Israel to monitor the implementation of the cease-fire deal in Gaza, U.S. officials said Thursday."

Update from Tyler Pager

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by sascha benjamin cohen

Mark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 1d

Could the Supreme Court still apply different rules to a Democratic president? Of course. You don't need to remind me of that. But a lightning-fast blitz that repurposes Trump's new powers for good stands the best chance of standing up in court. Democrats need to start thinking about this right now.

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sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

God grant me the blessing of never being successful enough to become the enemy or target of a douchebag with power...

sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

I would very much like to be able to counter this reasoning and show that people don't actually suck ass so badly, but sadly after a microsecond of introspection and consideration of current human behavior, I cannot.

sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

This thread has now made me thirsty, jealous, and very much missing London. I don't know whether to thank you or curse.

sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

I posited the same to my gf last night. It would be epic, if absurd

sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

I think we need to kickstart a field of study to meet the current moment of limited/franctured attention spans, post-literacy, and the death of nuance. Maybe 'ephemeral semioticism'?

sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

This is very, very good.
This is also very. very distressing.

William B. Fuckley @opinionhaver.bsky.social · 1d

Oops, here’s the link: open.substack.com/pub/musgrave...

A Post-Literate Society is a Too-Literal Society

Directness is a virtue and subtlety is lost

open.substack.com

sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

Kid in a placenta
I know, I know
it's serious

sascha benjamin cohen @saschaben.bsky.social · 1d

aw shit did we go to camp together?

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