Liz Sumner
@lizsumner.bsky.social
Producer and editor of pod.link/unpackingpeanuts. Living the life in central Italy.
One of many notable observations: "Across the dozens of studies, heavy short-form video users showed moderate deficits in attention, inhibitory control, and memory"
Derek Thompson - The 26 Most Important Ideas For 2026
Derek Thompson - The 26 Most Important Ideas For 2026
The 26 Most Important Ideas For 2026
Modern trends and history lessons—across culture, politics, AI, economics, science, and the long story of progress. But first: an announcement!
www.derekthompson.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:16 AM
One of many notable observations: "Across the dozens of studies, heavy short-form video users showed moderate deficits in attention, inhibitory control, and memory"
Derek Thompson - The 26 Most Important Ideas For 2026
Derek Thompson - The 26 Most Important Ideas For 2026
Congratulations @ariellethisandthat.bsky.social for induction into the Podcast Hall of Fame! Well deserved. Please say hello to Dan Carlin for me.
December 8, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Congratulations @ariellethisandthat.bsky.social for induction into the Podcast Hall of Fame! Well deserved. Please say hello to Dan Carlin for me.
I'm Team Em dash and I wrote this message. I also like the Oxford comma.
Don’t Let AI Ruin the Em Dash
In defense of the newly controversial punctuation mark, which has become a target for those determined to root out AI writing.
www.wsj.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:24 AM
I'm Team Em dash and I wrote this message. I also like the Oxford comma.
Reposted by Liz Sumner
⚡️ 'Rewarding Russian butchery' — US lawmakers rail against Trump's Ukraine peace deal.
"Rewarding Russian butchery would be disastrous to America’s interests," U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell said.
"Rewarding Russian butchery would be disastrous to America’s interests," U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell said.
'Rewarding Russian butchery' — US lawmakers rail against Trump's Ukraine peace deal
"Rewarding Russian butchery would be disastrous to America’s interests," U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell said.
kyivindependent.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:01 PM
⚡️ 'Rewarding Russian butchery' — US lawmakers rail against Trump's Ukraine peace deal.
"Rewarding Russian butchery would be disastrous to America’s interests," U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell said.
"Rewarding Russian butchery would be disastrous to America’s interests," U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell said.
Reposted by Liz Sumner
Good things are possible and we don't have to settle.
November 5, 2025 at 5:15 AM
Good things are possible and we don't have to settle.
Great parody from Dutch TV.
The Disney brand, and the USA brand, sinking together. Parody from Dutch TV
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vRX...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vRX...
Jimmy Kimmel’s show has been cancelled | The New Disney | LUBACH
YouTube video by LUBACH
www.youtube.com
September 22, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Great parody from Dutch TV.
Reposted by Liz Sumner
New Episode of My Podcast over on Substack. I talk about Superman two months late, but I also teach you how to plot a comic.
Jimmy Gownley’s Dumb Ideas 010
Truth, Justice, and Comics’ Best Idea (Plus: Plotting a Story Part Two)
open.substack.com
September 5, 2025 at 6:41 AM
New Episode of My Podcast over on Substack. I talk about Superman two months late, but I also teach you how to plot a comic.
Reposted by Liz Sumner
I wrote about the idea that Democrats need to excise "activist" language from their vocabulary, and what it says about the corporate interests looking to divide and conquer the party.
Is Activist Vocabulary Hurting the Democrats?
Third Way's latest memo has weak advice and a hidden agenda
stringinamaze.net
August 26, 2025 at 5:41 PM
I wrote about the idea that Democrats need to excise "activist" language from their vocabulary, and what it says about the corporate interests looking to divide and conquer the party.
Godspeed Jim Lovell.
Apollo 13 moon mission leader James Lovell dies at 97
Lovell’s “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” became famous.
www.politico.com
August 9, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Godspeed Jim Lovell.
Chilling article by @devilstower.bsky.social
"There are better ways to manage power grids, lower agricultural costs, and handle transportation routing: They're called purpose-built systems using non-LLM code. These systems complete the same tasks using a fraction of the energy."
"There are better ways to manage power grids, lower agricultural costs, and handle transportation routing: They're called purpose-built systems using non-LLM code. These systems complete the same tasks using a fraction of the energy."
Billionaires are betting your life that they can make AI work
Humanity is deep into a struggle over Earth's basic resources. That fight isn't humans vs. AI. It's 99.99% of humanity against the 0.01% willing to do anything to stay in power.
www.unchartedblue.com
August 2, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Chilling article by @devilstower.bsky.social
"There are better ways to manage power grids, lower agricultural costs, and handle transportation routing: They're called purpose-built systems using non-LLM code. These systems complete the same tasks using a fraction of the energy."
"There are better ways to manage power grids, lower agricultural costs, and handle transportation routing: They're called purpose-built systems using non-LLM code. These systems complete the same tasks using a fraction of the energy."
The Real War Will Never Get Into the Books
open.substack.com/pub/dancarli...
open.substack.com/pub/dancarli...
The Real War Will Never Get Into the Books
The best way to avoid the next terrible war is to unflinchingly look at the reality of the last one
open.substack.com
June 7, 2025 at 5:22 AM
The Real War Will Never Get Into the Books
open.substack.com/pub/dancarli...
open.substack.com/pub/dancarli...
Reposted by Liz Sumner
“Considering the skills that Ukraine has demonstrated in not just fighting, but developing the next era of combat, it's time to forget the idea of Ukraine joining NATO. NATO should be more concerned about whether it gets to join Ukraine.“
The most significant world event since 9/11
It's time to forget the idea of Ukraine joining NATO. NATO should be more concerned about whether it gets to join Ukraine.
www.unchartedblue.com
June 4, 2025 at 9:45 PM
“Considering the skills that Ukraine has demonstrated in not just fighting, but developing the next era of combat, it's time to forget the idea of Ukraine joining NATO. NATO should be more concerned about whether it gets to join Ukraine.“
Reposted by Liz Sumner
May 9, 2025 at 3:29 AM
"There are no boring stories, only boring storytellers."
From @podnews.net quoting Valerie Geller on The Sound Off Podcast
From @podnews.net quoting Valerie Geller on The Sound Off Podcast
May 2, 2025 at 1:04 PM
"There are no boring stories, only boring storytellers."
From @podnews.net quoting Valerie Geller on The Sound Off Podcast
From @podnews.net quoting Valerie Geller on The Sound Off Podcast
Reposted by Liz Sumner
Centerpiece for the kids’ table
April 20, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Centerpiece for the kids’ table
Reposted by Liz Sumner
20,000 in ruby red Utah on their feet, in community, and ready to organize for a better world.
A better world is possible.
A better world is possible.
April 14, 2025 at 1:25 AM
20,000 in ruby red Utah on their feet, in community, and ready to organize for a better world.
A better world is possible.
A better world is possible.
This was so inspiring. I love all of Jon's conversations but this one knocked me out. How can we save these federal workers? Tell their stories.
Jon and Michael Lewis discuss the need to better appreciate our government and our mothers on an all-new The Weekly Show.
April 3, 2025 at 2:14 PM
This was so inspiring. I love all of Jon's conversations but this one knocked me out. How can we save these federal workers? Tell their stories.
Reposted by Liz Sumner
I'm teaching "Sound Design for Narrative Audio" online this Sat., April 4, & we need at least 2 more people to register.
Have you been wanting to get started with or level up your storytelling sound design? Join us! We'll cover the fundamentals, w/lots of listening & discussion.
bit.ly/4j4qVGI
Have you been wanting to get started with or level up your storytelling sound design? Join us! We'll cover the fundamentals, w/lots of listening & discussion.
bit.ly/4j4qVGI
Sound Design for Narrative Audio (Online) - Maine Media Workshops + College
bit.ly
March 31, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I'm teaching "Sound Design for Narrative Audio" online this Sat., April 4, & we need at least 2 more people to register.
Have you been wanting to get started with or level up your storytelling sound design? Join us! We'll cover the fundamentals, w/lots of listening & discussion.
bit.ly/4j4qVGI
Have you been wanting to get started with or level up your storytelling sound design? Join us! We'll cover the fundamentals, w/lots of listening & discussion.
bit.ly/4j4qVGI
"Ritualized humiliation is essential to an authoritarian regime."
From @davepell.bsky.social quoting George Packer in the Atlantic article The Hollow Men. substack.com/redirect/137...
From @davepell.bsky.social quoting George Packer in the Atlantic article The Hollow Men. substack.com/redirect/137...
The Hollow Men
It takes a special talent to betray an entire worldview without missing a beat.
substack.com
March 28, 2025 at 8:48 AM
"Ritualized humiliation is essential to an authoritarian regime."
From @davepell.bsky.social quoting George Packer in the Atlantic article The Hollow Men. substack.com/redirect/137...
From @davepell.bsky.social quoting George Packer in the Atlantic article The Hollow Men. substack.com/redirect/137...
I wish I knew the origin of this for attribution. I post it every year.
March 14, 2025 at 12:20 PM
I wish I knew the origin of this for attribution. I post it every year.
Reposted by Liz Sumner
If you're still looking for that One Big Message—one that even your uncle who thinks Trump is a great businessman despite his six bankruptcies and a fine moral leader despite cheating on three wives can still understand—here it is:
Donald Trump is stealing from you.
Donald Trump is stealing from you.
What Trump is Stealing from You. Part 1
While most Americans have been watching their retirement savings shrink, wealthy players have been profiting from the disastrous market under Trump.
www.unchartedblue.com
March 7, 2025 at 5:30 PM
If you're still looking for that One Big Message—one that even your uncle who thinks Trump is a great businessman despite his six bankruptcies and a fine moral leader despite cheating on three wives can still understand—here it is:
Donald Trump is stealing from you.
Donald Trump is stealing from you.
Reposted by Liz Sumner
"You can't policy your way out of a right-wing propaganda problem."
Louder for the people in the back! At no point will any right-wing party be like "You know what, I think as a nation we are now cruel enough to immigrants and LGBTQ-people. Let's focus on something else for a change."
Louder for the people in the back! At no point will any right-wing party be like "You know what, I think as a nation we are now cruel enough to immigrants and LGBTQ-people. Let's focus on something else for a change."
"If we throw minorities under the bus, Republicans will stop calling us too woke" is the same logic that got us Clinton's welfare cuts and Obama's immigration crackdowns.
You can't policy your way out of a right-wing propaganda problem.
You can't policy your way out of a right-wing propaganda problem.
This rebuke of advocacy groups always claims to be a rebuke of pronouns, but in reality it's a rebuke of standing for anything. It's a total refusal to share a vision of a prosperous future for ordinary people. It's an abdication of responsibility. And it's why they want advocates to shut up.
March 6, 2025 at 4:35 PM
"You can't policy your way out of a right-wing propaganda problem."
Louder for the people in the back! At no point will any right-wing party be like "You know what, I think as a nation we are now cruel enough to immigrants and LGBTQ-people. Let's focus on something else for a change."
Louder for the people in the back! At no point will any right-wing party be like "You know what, I think as a nation we are now cruel enough to immigrants and LGBTQ-people. Let's focus on something else for a change."
It’s Carnevale so of course that means hours of pop music blasting all last night and all afternoon today. I mention it for anyone tempted to move to a quiet medieval town in Italy. #forewarned
March 2, 2025 at 3:39 PM
It’s Carnevale so of course that means hours of pop music blasting all last night and all afternoon today. I mention it for anyone tempted to move to a quiet medieval town in Italy. #forewarned
Reposted by Liz Sumner
