Ben Phelps
@thisisbenphelps.bsky.social
Musician and self-declared public intellectual
Mainstream take seems to be "Nvidia profits allay AI bubble fears" but this doesn't make sense to me at all. Nvidia is selling to companies investing in AI: the source of their sales is investment dollars, a lot of which is leveraged. If anything this just shows how big the potential bubble is...
November 20, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Mainstream take seems to be "Nvidia profits allay AI bubble fears" but this doesn't make sense to me at all. Nvidia is selling to companies investing in AI: the source of their sales is investment dollars, a lot of which is leveraged. If anything this just shows how big the potential bubble is...
I've recently been informed that more people prefer flying first class than economy
So your contention is that if we removed de facto subsidies for suburban living, we’d discover that most people actually prefer living in city center with no car? Of course, more people would end up doing that – the financial logic would change – but you’re saying Americans would on net PREFER that?
What is a subsidy, Alex?
November 20, 2025 at 4:47 AM
I've recently been informed that more people prefer flying first class than economy
The sense we get from all available evidence of the current demand for other unit types is that that demand is extremely high and unmet.
Wtf is Will on about
Wtf is Will on about
I AM NOT DEFENDING SINGLE FAMILY ZONING, I am saying that there is enough availability of other unit types to begin to get a sense of what demand is
November 20, 2025 at 4:11 AM
The sense we get from all available evidence of the current demand for other unit types is that that demand is extremely high and unmet.
Wtf is Will on about
Wtf is Will on about
Reposted by Ben Phelps
sure you might have objective evidence in the form of rent or mortgage payments suggesting that housing is much more expensive now than it used to be but consider the following: what if a glib idiot told you it wasn't
What, precisely, is the crisis? When will it be resolved? People have been talking about housing crises since the 80s. I agree that there’s a long-run upward drift in housing costs; I agree some high-cost metros have real issues. But what are we seeing right now that’s a nationwide crisis?
Stancil being a housing crisis denier is the darnedest thing
November 17, 2025 at 6:01 PM
sure you might have objective evidence in the form of rent or mortgage payments suggesting that housing is much more expensive now than it used to be but consider the following: what if a glib idiot told you it wasn't
"People's revealed preference, when they have been given no actual alternative, is clear"
Right, this is true, but the OVERWHELMING evidence of the past 100 years of American life is that vastly more people want space and a car than a smaller unit and a car-free lifestyle. This is mostly why the suburban share of US population has grown relentlessly for the entire 20th and 21st century
Some people put a premium on space in my experience, others put a premium on not having to have a car and not being isolated out in the suburbs
November 19, 2025 at 3:57 AM
"People's revealed preference, when they have been given no actual alternative, is clear"
The future of Back to the Future was 10 years ago
November 19, 2025 at 3:11 AM
The future of Back to the Future was 10 years ago
So I don't know what they think they're doing but it seems like the pillars of Starmer's Labour are austerity + anti-immigration (with anti-trans thrown in as a treat). Tell me how this isn't a betrayal of liberalism. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/w...
Why Britain Is Embracing ‘Negative Nation Branding’
www.nytimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:26 AM
So I don't know what they think they're doing but it seems like the pillars of Starmer's Labour are austerity + anti-immigration (with anti-trans thrown in as a treat). Tell me how this isn't a betrayal of liberalism. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/w...
The true tragedy of Larry Summers is, despite being Treasury secretary and president of Harvard, he doesn't know how our monetary system works
November 18, 2025 at 4:17 AM
The true tragedy of Larry Summers is, despite being Treasury secretary and president of Harvard, he doesn't know how our monetary system works
don't love this at all www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/n...
The Strategic Uncoupling of Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander
www.nytimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:20 AM
don't love this at all www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/n...
If I were crashing out as president of the United States over my personal failures I'd be blaring Mahler out the window not this schlock
November 15, 2025 at 7:14 AM
If I were crashing out as president of the United States over my personal failures I'd be blaring Mahler out the window not this schlock
I am once again obligated to point out taxpayers don't fund the federal government.
It all becomes so much easier when you all realize / understand this.
It all becomes so much easier when you all realize / understand this.
November 15, 2025 at 6:50 AM
I am once again obligated to point out taxpayers don't fund the federal government.
It all becomes so much easier when you all realize / understand this.
It all becomes so much easier when you all realize / understand this.
Reposted by Ben Phelps
The Kremlin disguised a nearly $100 mn payment to Trump in the form of a brokered real estate deal... and both Jeffrey Epstein and William Pulte were involved in the deal. That's very interesting.
November 12, 2025 at 9:56 PM
The Kremlin disguised a nearly $100 mn payment to Trump in the form of a brokered real estate deal... and both Jeffrey Epstein and William Pulte were involved in the deal. That's very interesting.
This guy is finished. What a fucking disaster.
Trump. I'm talking about Trump.
Trump. I'm talking about Trump.
November 15, 2025 at 6:25 AM
This guy is finished. What a fucking disaster.
Trump. I'm talking about Trump.
Trump. I'm talking about Trump.
Reposted by Ben Phelps
This is the facility that I and many others have been protesting. We’ve been hit, thrown, gassed, and shot with pepper bullets but none of that holds a candle to what is being done to people *in* the actual facility.
Read this thread. Don’t look away. Keep your eyes and the pressure on Broadview.
Read this thread. Don’t look away. Keep your eyes and the pressure on Broadview.
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 3:29 PM
This is the facility that I and many others have been protesting. We’ve been hit, thrown, gassed, and shot with pepper bullets but none of that holds a candle to what is being done to people *in* the actual facility.
Read this thread. Don’t look away. Keep your eyes and the pressure on Broadview.
Read this thread. Don’t look away. Keep your eyes and the pressure on Broadview.
Reposted by Ben Phelps
photos of Trump sleeping through yesterday's Oval Office event via Andrew Harnik of Getty
November 7, 2025 at 4:38 PM
photos of Trump sleeping through yesterday's Oval Office event via Andrew Harnik of Getty
I'm in Knoxville and looks like I'm safe to fly home Sunday? Survived the cancelation lottery for the moment.
November 7, 2025 at 6:42 AM
I'm in Knoxville and looks like I'm safe to fly home Sunday? Survived the cancelation lottery for the moment.
GUYS WE GOT UZBEKISTAN WE'RE GONNA BE SO RICH
November 7, 2025 at 6:30 AM
GUYS WE GOT UZBEKISTAN WE'RE GONNA BE SO RICH
Reposted by Ben Phelps
"It is with a heavy heart I announce the sale of my long term ape, Salazar" is a pretty good first line for a novel.
November 5, 2025 at 3:05 AM
"It is with a heavy heart I announce the sale of my long term ape, Salazar" is a pretty good first line for a novel.
I'm coming around to the Trump has had a stroke theory
November 7, 2025 at 6:24 AM
I'm coming around to the Trump has had a stroke theory
We just need multi-member districts we don't need everybody running in CA statewide. But anyway it's not a crazy idea! people are open to it!
Wow! That's a lot higher support level than I expected. And that 32%"don't know" means there's a high ceiling
November 7, 2025 at 6:16 AM
We just need multi-member districts we don't need everybody running in CA statewide. But anyway it's not a crazy idea! people are open to it!
The takes here are good.
I find him to be a compelling political figure. But his actual policy proposals are super weak sauce for addressing the things he cares about. The biggest thing he will do for affordability and wealth inequality in NY is voting for the YIMBY ballot measures.
I find him to be a compelling political figure. But his actual policy proposals are super weak sauce for addressing the things he cares about. The biggest thing he will do for affordability and wealth inequality in NY is voting for the YIMBY ballot measures.
Opinion | This Is What Democrats Must Learn From Mamdani’s Victory
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:53 AM
The takes here are good.
I find him to be a compelling political figure. But his actual policy proposals are super weak sauce for addressing the things he cares about. The biggest thing he will do for affordability and wealth inequality in NY is voting for the YIMBY ballot measures.
I find him to be a compelling political figure. But his actual policy proposals are super weak sauce for addressing the things he cares about. The biggest thing he will do for affordability and wealth inequality in NY is voting for the YIMBY ballot measures.
new platform plank
“We will rebuild the White House as it was and pay for it by seizing assets of President Trump, his heirs, his companies, and all related organizations.”
November 6, 2025 at 8:46 PM
new platform plank
we should have a constitutional amendment making the filibuster unconstitutional
November 6, 2025 at 8:43 PM
we should have a constitutional amendment making the filibuster unconstitutional
Reposted by Ben Phelps
straight-up jury nullification. this guy did it, confessed to it, and the jury instructions explicitly said that if he did it intentionally, it was assault.
BREAKING: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EATS A LOSS IN 'SANDWICH GUY' CASE AS JURORS FIND DEFENDANT NOT GUILTY www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Jury acquits D.C. 'sandwich guy' charged with chucking a sub at a federal agent
Sean Dunn faced single misdemeanor offense after federal grand jurors refused to indict him on the felony charge sought by prosecutors.
www.nbcnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:34 PM
straight-up jury nullification. this guy did it, confessed to it, and the jury instructions explicitly said that if he did it intentionally, it was assault.
flying in the morning hope I make my gig, will be really bad if I don't. Coming home is probably even dicier. I'll be in Knoxville.
November 6, 2025 at 6:27 AM
flying in the morning hope I make my gig, will be really bad if I don't. Coming home is probably even dicier. I'll be in Knoxville.