Chris Clair
@chrisclair.bsky.social
Writer, reader, occasional journalist, Kentucky resident. Animal lover, owned by two cats.
Great article. When I moved to NYC 26 years ago, I felt real pride in possessing a MetroCard – even more so when I perfected the swipe. Once, in a store out west, a woman spotted my MetroCard peeking out of my wallet and asked where I lived in NYC. It was a badge of New York-ness.
The MetroCard became metonymic with NYC. At midnight today it will retire, and so in MetroCard’s honor I learned about how this under appreciated technological marvel came to be and saw how MetroCards are produced. A eulogy:
A Symbol of New York Is Gone
The MetroCard never got its due.
www.theatlantic.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Great article. When I moved to NYC 26 years ago, I felt real pride in possessing a MetroCard – even more so when I perfected the swipe. Once, in a store out west, a woman spotted my MetroCard peeking out of my wallet and asked where I lived in NYC. It was a badge of New York-ness.
Reposted by Chris Clair
"This promise of an AI future, is really just a collective anxiety that wealthy people have about how well they're gonna be able to control us in the future."
- @tressiemcphd.bsky.social with an absolute mic drop moment about AI bullshit.
Incredible words.
Listen to all of it!
- @tressiemcphd.bsky.social with an absolute mic drop moment about AI bullshit.
Incredible words.
Listen to all of it!
December 19, 2025 at 12:24 PM
"This promise of an AI future, is really just a collective anxiety that wealthy people have about how well they're gonna be able to control us in the future."
- @tressiemcphd.bsky.social with an absolute mic drop moment about AI bullshit.
Incredible words.
Listen to all of it!
- @tressiemcphd.bsky.social with an absolute mic drop moment about AI bullshit.
Incredible words.
Listen to all of it!
The word "erroneously" is doing some real work in this sentence.
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...
November 3, 2025 at 9:06 PM
The word "erroneously" is doing some real work in this sentence.
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...
Reposted by Chris Clair
A terrific AFP fact check uses reverse image searches to expose how a White House video took scenes from Florida, Texas, South Carolina and Nebraska and lied that they showed "Chicago is in chaos."
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
October 16, 2025 at 2:07 PM
A terrific AFP fact check uses reverse image searches to expose how a White House video took scenes from Florida, Texas, South Carolina and Nebraska and lied that they showed "Chicago is in chaos."
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
It’s revealing how many people who’ve said they own guns at least partly in case they have to fight federal troops on U.S. streets have turned out to be perfectly fine with federal troops on U.S. streets.
October 8, 2025 at 7:42 PM
It’s revealing how many people who’ve said they own guns at least partly in case they have to fight federal troops on U.S. streets have turned out to be perfectly fine with federal troops on U.S. streets.
“Assumptions about the fortitude of America’s democracy ignore the uncomfortable truth that democracy is an active process, one that requires constant commitment to its preservation. It is not enough to fall back on what past generations fought for.”
As the Putinization of America accelerates, “Trump’s opponents must build up forces to withstand the administration on every level, from grassroots protests to lawsuits in the courts,” Garry Kasparov writes:
The Race to Save America’s Democracy
Trump’s administration may seem chaotic, but Americans should not take the integrity of next year’s elections for granted.
bit.ly
September 28, 2025 at 3:24 PM
“Assumptions about the fortitude of America’s democracy ignore the uncomfortable truth that democracy is an active process, one that requires constant commitment to its preservation. It is not enough to fall back on what past generations fought for.”
Reposted by Chris Clair
The wounded knee thing is really Trumpism distilled to its essence. It’s not enough to be able crush people who can’t fully defend themselves, it’s not enough to actually crush them, you also have to love and admire those who do the crushing otherwise the Trumpists’ delicate feelings are injured
September 26, 2025 at 12:43 PM
The wounded knee thing is really Trumpism distilled to its essence. It’s not enough to be able crush people who can’t fully defend themselves, it’s not enough to actually crush them, you also have to love and admire those who do the crushing otherwise the Trumpists’ delicate feelings are injured
Reposted by Chris Clair
At a time when the most influential media institutions and leaders in the U.S. need to stand up for free speech, they are doing the opposite — either to line their pockets or avoid Trump’s wrath.
They’re treating the erosion of our fundamental rights as a cost of doing business.
They’re treating the erosion of our fundamental rights as a cost of doing business.
September 19, 2025 at 5:16 PM
At a time when the most influential media institutions and leaders in the U.S. need to stand up for free speech, they are doing the opposite — either to line their pockets or avoid Trump’s wrath.
They’re treating the erosion of our fundamental rights as a cost of doing business.
They’re treating the erosion of our fundamental rights as a cost of doing business.
September 17 was Constitution Day. Apparently for 40% of Americans, only Article II and the Second Amendment are still in force. Maybe they think the rest was cut by DOGE.
September 18, 2025 at 7:45 PM
September 17 was Constitution Day. Apparently for 40% of Americans, only Article II and the Second Amendment are still in force. Maybe they think the rest was cut by DOGE.
This is a remarkable sentence to read in the United States in the 21st Century.
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
September 8, 2025 at 6:30 PM
This is a remarkable sentence to read in the United States in the 21st Century.
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
Reposted by Chris Clair
Sad thing recent events have made me accept: a lot of US elites are weak, amoral people, whose guiding star is "what does power want?" mixed with "what's easiest for me in the short-term?" And that unfortunately means we can't appeal to principle or patriotism, we need to structure their incentives.
I think the answer to the “paradox” of Trump consolidating dictatorial power despite being incompetent and unpopular lies in Democrats rattling their sabers at people and entities who capitulate to Trump over the objections of the American majority. But first they’ll have to find those sabers!
Trump Is a Weak and Failing President, and It’s Time to Say So
It’s possible for Trump to be an inept buffoon—but still extremely dangerous. And it shouldn’t be so hard to make that case.
newrepublic.com
September 8, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Sad thing recent events have made me accept: a lot of US elites are weak, amoral people, whose guiding star is "what does power want?" mixed with "what's easiest for me in the short-term?" And that unfortunately means we can't appeal to principle or patriotism, we need to structure their incentives.
Reposted by Chris Clair
The White House’s discretionary budget includes a 93% cut to the Appalachian Regional Commission. This will be devastating to a region that is already falling behind the rest of the country.
July 23, 2025 at 1:32 PM
The White House’s discretionary budget includes a 93% cut to the Appalachian Regional Commission. This will be devastating to a region that is already falling behind the rest of the country.
First, the word he's looking for is "sanctions," not "tariffs" but he doesn't know the difference. Second, 50 days? Fifty?! Why wait? What an absolute clown show.
apnews.com/live/donald-...
apnews.com/live/donald-...
Live updates: Trump threatens Russia with tariffs if war on Ukraine isn’t resolved
President Donald Trump said he would punish Russia with tariffs if there isn’t a deal to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days, escalating his growing feud with Vladimir Putin.
apnews.com
July 14, 2025 at 5:36 PM
First, the word he's looking for is "sanctions," not "tariffs" but he doesn't know the difference. Second, 50 days? Fifty?! Why wait? What an absolute clown show.
apnews.com/live/donald-...
apnews.com/live/donald-...
Reposted by Chris Clair
Someone dear to me who works helping poor and unhoused people was texting with me about the budget bill, which will directly harm those she's trying to help. She said, "It’s difficult being an educated and empathetic person right now. It’s exhausting and depressing." And I feel that in my bones.
July 2, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Someone dear to me who works helping poor and unhoused people was texting with me about the budget bill, which will directly harm those she's trying to help. She said, "It’s difficult being an educated and empathetic person right now. It’s exhausting and depressing." And I feel that in my bones.
Reposted by Chris Clair
Today’s journalism brain bubble: I think print editions could outlive hyperlinks.
mattdpearce.substack.com/p/ai-could-c...
mattdpearce.substack.com/p/ai-could-c...
AI could cause newsprint to outlive the hyperlink
What journalists do after Google Zero.
mattdpearce.substack.com
June 29, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Today’s journalism brain bubble: I think print editions could outlive hyperlinks.
mattdpearce.substack.com/p/ai-could-c...
mattdpearce.substack.com/p/ai-could-c...
Reposted by Chris Clair
I want to take a moment to share an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence's grievances against King George III.
Sound familiar?
Sound familiar?
June 13, 2025 at 9:21 PM
I want to take a moment to share an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence's grievances against King George III.
Sound familiar?
Sound familiar?
Reposted by Chris Clair
Thing that should be outlawed - scripted host/reporter Q and A’s.
We can *hear you reading the script, gang.
Makes me crazy.
We can *hear you reading the script, gang.
Makes me crazy.
May 29, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Thing that should be outlawed - scripted host/reporter Q and A’s.
We can *hear you reading the script, gang.
Makes me crazy.
We can *hear you reading the script, gang.
Makes me crazy.
Reposted by Chris Clair
This is still part of the Constitution, FYI: "[N]o Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust... shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."
May 12, 2025 at 1:34 PM
This is still part of the Constitution, FYI: "[N]o Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust... shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."
Reposted by Chris Clair
TODAY the NYT publishes an investigation into the Trump memecoin $TRUMP and how it has turned into a extraordinary venue for foreign influence campaigns. What we are seeing is potentially corrupt attempts to change US policy by paying the Trump family money. This is no "Russian Hoax" nyti.ms/4kkv7D7
Auction to Dine With Trump Creates Foreign Influence Opportunity (Gift Article)
When the bidding stops Monday, the top buyers of a Trump family crypto coin will win a tour of the White House.
nyti.ms
May 12, 2025 at 12:53 PM
TODAY the NYT publishes an investigation into the Trump memecoin $TRUMP and how it has turned into a extraordinary venue for foreign influence campaigns. What we are seeing is potentially corrupt attempts to change US policy by paying the Trump family money. This is no "Russian Hoax" nyti.ms/4kkv7D7
Reposted by Chris Clair
This is The Last Supper now.
May 8, 2025 at 5:20 PM
This is The Last Supper now.
Is this real, or a new season of “Portlandia?”
“When it comes to .. raw milk, I want to be free to form a relationship with a local farmer, look him in the eyes, pet his cow, and then decide if I feel safe to drink the milk from his farm.”
— Casey Means, Trump’s latest surgeon-general nominee.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
— Casey Means, Trump’s latest surgeon-general nominee.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Trump Picks a ‘MAHA’ Movement Leader for Surgeon General
The president said he would nominate Dr. Casey Means, a California doctor and wellness influencer, to be the next surgeon general.
www.wsj.com
May 8, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Is this real, or a new season of “Portlandia?”
Published 21 years ago. Reading it then was like seeing a storm toward the end of the 7-day weather forecast. To re-read it now is to realize you’re living inside the blaring tornado siren.
May 6, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Published 21 years ago. Reading it then was like seeing a storm toward the end of the 7-day weather forecast. To re-read it now is to realize you’re living inside the blaring tornado siren.
Journalism, imperfect as it can be, matters. #WorldPressFreedomDay
May 3, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Journalism, imperfect as it can be, matters. #WorldPressFreedomDay
Also Autor: "Letting free trade rip is an easy policy. Putting up giant tariffs is an easy policy. Figuring out some middle path is hard. Deciding what sectors to invest in and protect is hard. Doing the work to build new industries is hard. But this is how great nations lead."
“I think the Trump folks are asking the right question," the MIT economist David Autor tells Rogé Karma. "But they’ve come up with just about the worst answer.”
Trump Is Paving the Way for Another ‘China Shock’
The MIT economist David Autor helped fracture the old free-trade consensus. But he thinks that what’s replacing it is even worse.
bit.ly
April 30, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Also Autor: "Letting free trade rip is an easy policy. Putting up giant tariffs is an easy policy. Figuring out some middle path is hard. Deciding what sectors to invest in and protect is hard. Doing the work to build new industries is hard. But this is how great nations lead."