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Dael Norwood

@dael.bsky.social

3.3K followers 560 following 9.4K posts

Historian of America's old, weird political economy. Unincorporated but proudly unionized citizen of Delaware. Adding “levity to discussions of financing and high politics” since 2022. Wrote Trading Freedom: How Trade with China Defined Early America.

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · Jul 14

A moderate-length but immodest proposal: it's time for Delawareans to start planning for a future beyond the corporate franchise – and we need to do it before angry billionaires force it on us first.

The Best Thing to Ever Happen to the State of … Delaware?

This post argues that the forces pushing DExit – and thus the death of the corporate franchise –cannot be appeased by Delaware, so we must consider the future without the franchise ourselves,…

daelnorwood.com

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 2h

Public money isn’t only going to “special appearances”:
“Kids who collect the full set of cards will be entered to win prizes. Besides the grand prize of a Disney trip worth $6,000, prizes include stays at Great Wolf Lodge and the Kalahari Resort, bikes, a PlayStation 5, a Nintendo Switch 2 and more

Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 2h

Chaser:
“There are 100 different cards — each depicting an officer, specialized unit, vehicle or the department’s mascot, Soar.
…

Several events will also feature “officers of the day,” offering limited opportunities to collect exclusive cards available at specific appearances.”

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 2h

Shot:

The Newark, Delaware is facing a large deficit again this year. City Council plans on raising taxes and public utility rates; the avg resident will pay $518 more.

A large part of the deficit is personnel costs - and the department w/ the largest headcount in the City is police.

Newark proposes tax, utility rate hikes; average resident would pay $518 more next year

Facing a tough budget outlook, Newark officials are proposing a mix of utility rate and tax increases that would result in the average resident owing the city an additional $518

www.newarkpostonline.com

Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 11h

It’s the singular indefinite article that’s got me stuck, honestly.

Not arrived at “the” Ritz; just “a”Ritz-Carlton. In Orlando. On a fed govt paid trip. “A” Ritz, one of presumably several.

Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 11h

Not the point of the story, but the phrase “arrived at a Ritz-Carlton in Orlando” has really revealed to me something of the depth of how little I know about the world the awful 1% grifters who currently rule the US swim in.

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 14h

And it’s deep connection to anti Chinese xenophobia

Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 15h

This is the most arch parody trailer I have ever seen, I cannot believe they got all these real famous actors to appear in a mock trailer for a duelling biopic about JAMES GARFIELD and CHARLES GUITEAU,that’s just wi-

[puts hand to earpiece]

Wait, that can’t be re-

Death by Lightning | Official Trailer | Netflix

YouTube video by Netflix

m.youtube.com

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Reposted by Dael Norwood

Berny Belvedere @bernybelvedere.bsky.social · 22h

Doing politics the right way is when the far-right regime in power memorializes a fallen influencer by terrorizing an academic that the influencer's McCarthyist organization once baselessly singled out for abuse.

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Reposted by Dael Norwood

Miriam Posner @miriamposner.com · 22h

Recently learned that if you are an AFT member—as, for example, members of the UC Faculty Association are, if we opt in to AAUP membership—you’re eligible for $6/mo professional legal insurance. Useful if, say, you’re in a dispute with your employer. www.aft.org/sites/defaul...

www.aft.org

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Reposted by Dael Norwood

Maggie Blackhawk @maggieblackhawk.bsky.social · 22h

New essay in the Atlantic today: How Native Nations Shaped the Revolution by Ned Blackhawk (with many lessons on how we ended up where we are as a nation, and a gift link) www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

How Native Nations Shaped the Revolution

The Founders were inspired—and threatened—by the independence and self-governance of nations like the Iroquois Confederacy.

www.theatlantic.com

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Reposted by Dael Norwood

Endless Screaming @infinitescream.bsky.social · 1d

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 1d

“The world has done nothing but merit our paranoia…”

Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 1d

Again, my point was that grants will become less prestigious.

Your argument about these particulars is w/ the OP; perhaps that would be a useful place to take the discussion if you seek to advance it further.

I believe we understand each other’s core contentions, at this stage.

Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 1d

As to a “luxury of opting out” – scholars, like all human beings, have agency to make choices. All choices have costs. Sometimes - often, even – the cost of behaving morally, as a citizen or as a member of a wider human community, is damage to one’s individual interests.

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 1d

If you find evidence that this specific NEH grant is somehow not subject to the Trump administration’s sweeping requirements (viz., that all spending by the federal government support the tenants of MAGA ideology), that would be quite newsworthy!

It’d be unique in the US government, at the moment.

Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 1d

But I stand by what I said in sharing that thread: previously prestigious fellowships and grants are going to become less so, starting this year.

I think that is the case because of the onerous, obvious, and unmistakably ideological conditions the federal government is imposing on grantees.

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 1d

I want to be clear I’m not accusing the scholar in the quoted post of any misconduct; and neither am I implying I have sufficient personal or specialist knowledge to assess the rigor or political valence of their research.

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 1d

Speaking only for myself, this list of conditions would make it impossible for me to do any kind of rigorous, honest scholarly work in history.

Further I think it stands a good chance of exposing any recipient to legal jeopardy, as well as ideologically-driven interference by political appointees.

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 1d

Have you read the current language of NEH grants, that requires both applicants and recipients to sign on to a laundry list of regime talking points?

Here’s the list of conditions NEH imposes on scholars (drawn from an NEH CFP in my field, early American history)

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 1d

ah, you mean JOHN, John Dewey. (For a brief moment I thought you were going to launch the most deep cut heel turn of all time and reveal a deep admiration for Melvil Dewey).

Reposted by Dael Norwood

Matthew Kirschenbaum @mkirschenbaum.bsky.social · 1d

Virginia State Senate Dems just brought down fire and fury regarding the “Compact,” notifying the President and Rector that UVA would lose ALL STATE APPROPRIATIONS if it signs and cedes the University to “federal political control.” Notably, their letter directly restates points made here by @siva.

Siva @sivav.bsky.social · 1d

The “compact” for higher ed is an unserious document written by unserious people from a position of spectacular ignorance. No one should take it seriously. Sadly, my bosses are taking it seriously.

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Reposted by Dael Norwood

Annie Abrams @annieabrams.bsky.social · 1d

the College Board might not seem like an urgent threat to professors who more or less agree with what they see in AP frameworks, but the system is designed to deplete gen ed enrollment while turning both high school and “college” illiberal

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Reposted by Dael Norwood

Jonathan S. Jones @jonathansjones.bsky.social · 1d

Look what came in the mail today, @uncpress.bsky.social @simpsonvos.bsky.social @profsommerville.bsky.social! 🗃️

Printed copy of Opium Slavery: Civil War Veterans and America’s First Opioid Crisis held by the author in the background

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Dael Norwood @dael.bsky.social · 1d

🛎️ 🛎️ 🛎️

Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · 1d

he's going to come after you either way, so you might as well act with integrity

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Reposted by Dael Norwood

Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · 1d

I'll be updating next week's current-state-of-state-higher-ed-policy slides.

Left is an article about the VA senate dems telling UVA their state funding will be in question if they agree to that odious compact. On the right is the key part of the senate letter.

www.cbs19news.com/news/state-s...

Screenshot from the top of the article. Title is "State Senate Democrats tell UVA to not consider education compact." Published today.

Main text reads "RICHMOND, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- The University of Virginia could lose state funding if it signs onto an education compact it received from the federal government last week."

Screenshot from the letter from VA dems which reads "Therefore, we call upon you to immediately cease all consideration of signing this compact.
Furthermore, we want to be explicitly clear: if the University of Virginia signs this compact, there will be significant consequences in future Virginia budget cycles. As the leadership of the Senate with responsibility for appropriations affecting higher education, we will work with our colleagues to ensure that the Commonwealth does not subsidize an institution that has ceded its independence to federal
political control."

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