John McLaren
johnmclaren.bsky.social
John McLaren
@johnmclaren.bsky.social

Economist, classical music nerd, and family man.

Economics 44%
Political science 23%
Pinned
I'm seeing a huge spike in interest in tariffs from people who normally don't work in the economics of international trade. Here are a few useful things to know about them. (1/14)

Reposted by John McLaren

Charlottesville friends, the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center @jsaahccville.bsky.social has released a great new app--History in the Palm of Your Hand. It explores the story of the school & our city through audio, photos, documents & maps. It's very cool. mailchi.mp/jeffschoolhr...
History in the Palm of Your Hand
mailchi.mp

Thanks for passing that on. It’s a really good comment.

Also, I’m remembering that Rebacca Hall directed *Passing,* which I think is a remarkable film.

Reposted by John McLaren

The new JSAAHC app is officially here!

📍 11-stop audio tour
🖼️ Archival photos + documents
🌍 Multi-language support
i just want to say that i wrote this exactly one year ago.
BREAKING: Comey case dismissed without prejudice. Halligan invalidly appointed, judge rules. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Thanks for the tip. I think of *The Others* as the best ghost story on film, one of the rare films to create a cumulating feeling of pure fear in the audience. Also an interesting film.

I love his small role in Lars van Trier’s Melancholia, as the wedding planner who *cannot* *bear* *to* *look* at the bride because she arrived to the wedding late and messed up all of his plans.

Alice Krige is irreplaceable.

The ugliest baby in television history.

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Oh, man. One of cinema's most reliable weirdos, and I mean that in a highly complimentary fashion. RIP.

variety.com/2025/film/ne...
Udo Kier, German Actor Who Appeared in ‘My Own Private Idaho,’ ‘Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein,’ Dies at 81
Udo Kier, a German actor who collaborated with everyone from Andy Warhol to Lars von Trier to Madonna, died on Sunday morning. He was 81.
variety.com

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Impeachment isn’t an option, it’s a necessity. I know firsthand the lengths Trump is willing to go in order to silence dissent.

Impeach, convict, remove. And if our current leaders won’t do it, they need to step aside for people who will: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo54...
Trump Wrongly Indicted Me, I’ll Rightly Impeach Him | Kat Abughazaleh Speaks at Lincoln Memorial
YouTube video by Kat Abughazaleh
www.youtube.com
Amazing story, state legislator and Turning Points USA leader who crusaded against bogus voter fraud claims pleads guilty to attempted election fraud. azmirror.com/briefs/turni...
Turning Point leader, former GOP Rep pleads guilty to attempted election fraud | Arizona Mirror
Austin Smith election fraud guilty plea: Former GOP Rep admits forging 100+ signatures on ballot petitions in Arizona
azmirror.com

Hate it when that happens.

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Lots of comments in support of Tatiana Schlossberg saying they want to do something. She bravely stood up for science rebuking RFK Jr. Get your flu and COVID vaccines-cancer patients depend on herd immunity as they are too immunosuppressed to be vaccinated. Show them some love through action.

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First of all, what's wrong (let alone "corrupt" or "outrageous political abuse") about a governor appointing people and wanting to see them confirmed? Second, what's a "crass northern state" and what does that have to do with anything? bluevirginia.us/2025/11/sund...
Sign at the US Military Academy at West Point:

He was a really bad person who sometimes did some pretty good things.

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If democracy dies in darkness, we have seen that the legacy media is willing to turn off the lights. I founded Democracy Docket in 2020 to shine a spotlight on the most important fights for democracy— those taking place in court.

Sign-up now to stay informed and support its work. hubs.ly/Q03M8rql0

New Book Day! Please tell the world. Read a comic about it here: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/sawyer...

Or if you just want to buy it: us.macmillan.com/books/978037...

Thanks everyone! It took me over a year to write, but I think you and/or your kid(s) will have many laughs together.
Two billion kids would REALLY appreciate it if we did more about this than just make a few non-binding promises every year & then instantly forget about them.
#COP30

GET SYDNEY SWEENY ON THE PHONE!

This is really quite funny.

Reposted by John McLaren

Reposted by John McLaren

Throw out the rules…come talk politics at a holiday gathering! 🎙️

-Learn about what is in store for the 2026 state legislative session.

-Share your concerns with legislators before we head to Richmond.

And have fun with raffles🏆, cookie exchanges 🍪, connection🤝, and giving 🏘️. See you there!
speaking as a virginia beach native if these kind of dudes are plotting against ICE then there is wide runway in public opinion for straight up abolishing the agency under a dem presidency
Kempsville High School assistant principal charged for threats against police, ICE
Virginia Beach assistant principal John Bennett and Mark Bennett charged for conspiring threats against police and ICE agents. Both are held without bond.
www.13newsnow.com

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Join Dr. Wes Bellamy & Joy Reid for “Activist: Nobody’s Coming to Save Us,” a community conversation on leadership, purpose, and action—designed to move us from awareness to impact.

Monday, November 23, 3:00 to 5:00 pm
Jefferson School African American Heritage Center
Trump on Mamdani: "I think he's gonna surprise some conservative people, actually. And some very liberal people he won't surprise because they already like him."

Actually a *duty* to refuse unlawful orders.