Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
@lemonadist.bsky.social
Thinking and writing about climate, environmental change, paddling canoes.
Pinned
Let's make a #ShadowCabinet. I'd nominate Katie Porter, Health. Pete, Transportation plus general dot connecting. AOC house speaker. Imagine Jasmine Crockett at Justice. Bernie at commerce. Where should Booker be? Who would you like to see where? New voices?
Apple Circus says happy holidays.
December 24, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Apple Circus says happy holidays.
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
We don’t spend enough time discussing how the entire MAGA movement is kept afloat by the constant threats of stochastic terrorism orchestrated by the president of the United States.
Congress, the courts, much of the media … all kept in line by the mob boss and his army of anonymous goons.
Congress, the courts, much of the media … all kept in line by the mob boss and his army of anonymous goons.
“I’m 84 years old. Threats against my life expectancy are kind of hollow. I don’t have much time anyway. I’m more concerned that our democracy is at risk because of the trends against the rule of law.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...
Judges who ruled against Trump say harassment and threats have changed their lives
More than 100 pizzas were delivered to the homes of judges and their families this year, some with signs of foreign involvement. Judges say the message is clear: We know where you live.
www.nbcnews.com
December 24, 2025 at 3:06 PM
We don’t spend enough time discussing how the entire MAGA movement is kept afloat by the constant threats of stochastic terrorism orchestrated by the president of the United States.
Congress, the courts, much of the media … all kept in line by the mob boss and his army of anonymous goons.
Congress, the courts, much of the media … all kept in line by the mob boss and his army of anonymous goons.
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
blue states should create escrow accounts into which citizens pay their federal taxes but are withheld by the state until the federal government stops acting like its only obligated towards states that support the maga agenda
Sean Duffy on blue states: "What I can do is I can pull their money. That's the leverage I do have ... I guarantee you that the federal taxpayer is not going to fund their roads and bridges and their systems when they are putting illegals on the roads."
December 23, 2025 at 2:34 PM
blue states should create escrow accounts into which citizens pay their federal taxes but are withheld by the state until the federal government stops acting like its only obligated towards states that support the maga agenda
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
love that software developers are advertising AI functionality in every single app now and it's up to you to try to figure out if they mean "this has spellcheck" or "everything you create in this app will sync in real-time to sam altman's personal laptop" or something in between
December 23, 2025 at 3:04 PM
love that software developers are advertising AI functionality in every single app now and it's up to you to try to figure out if they mean "this has spellcheck" or "everything you create in this app will sync in real-time to sam altman's personal laptop" or something in between
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
Notice how Trump and Republicans were having the worst couple weeks in the administration's history and they decided to pivot to hardcore attacking trans people?
December 18, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Notice how Trump and Republicans were having the worst couple weeks in the administration's history and they decided to pivot to hardcore attacking trans people?
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
Anyone who supports this is my Enemy
The Trump administration is expected to announce several moves Thursday that will have the effect of essentially banning gender-affirming care for transgender young people, even in states where it is still legal.
www.npr.org/sections/sho...
www.npr.org/sections/sho...
RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz announce moves to ban gender-affirming care for young people
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to announce a package of measures that would together ban gender-affirming care for minors. A press conference is set for 11 a.m. Thursday.
www.npr.org
December 18, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Anyone who supports this is my Enemy
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
The name "Popular Science" doesn't mean we shift our coverage depending on public opinion. It means we cover relevant subjects that are rigorously researched, reliable, and grounded in reality.
And trans lives are grounded in reality.
We see y'all. No matter what.
www.popsci.com/science/tran...
And trans lives are grounded in reality.
We see y'all. No matter what.
www.popsci.com/science/tran...
First-of-a-kind study shows encouraging data for trans kids who socially transition
Ninety-four percent of participants in a new study stood firm in their trans identity after five years, and "detransitioning" is rare.
www.popsci.com
December 18, 2025 at 5:16 PM
The name "Popular Science" doesn't mean we shift our coverage depending on public opinion. It means we cover relevant subjects that are rigorously researched, reliable, and grounded in reality.
And trans lives are grounded in reality.
We see y'all. No matter what.
www.popsci.com/science/tran...
And trans lives are grounded in reality.
We see y'all. No matter what.
www.popsci.com/science/tran...
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
I keep saying this but no one is connecting the dots. The war is to satisfy legal preconditions for mass removal *domestically* of Latinos (i.e., suddenly a lot of people are going to be “Venezuelan” for purposes of removal). This is 100% Stephen Miller…oil claim is to make grandpa go along
There is no national security logic that would impel the US to want to do regime change in Venezuela. It's simply not that important. I'm not even sure wag the dog is the right metaphor for what's happening here. Seems like an insane misallocation of US national security assets and attention.
Trump: "Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled ... It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before — Until such time as they return to the USA all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us."
December 17, 2025 at 12:47 AM
I keep saying this but no one is connecting the dots. The war is to satisfy legal preconditions for mass removal *domestically* of Latinos (i.e., suddenly a lot of people are going to be “Venezuelan” for purposes of removal). This is 100% Stephen Miller…oil claim is to make grandpa go along
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
This 👇. My go-to explanation since the boat strikes and navy buildup began in late summer: They're bootstrapping a justification for invoking the Alien Enemies Act to detain and deport people domestically.
I keep saying this but no one is connecting the dots. The war is to satisfy legal preconditions for mass removal *domestically* of Latinos (i.e., suddenly a lot of people are going to be “Venezuelan” for purposes of removal). This is 100% Stephen Miller…oil claim is to make grandpa go along
There is no national security logic that would impel the US to want to do regime change in Venezuela. It's simply not that important. I'm not even sure wag the dog is the right metaphor for what's happening here. Seems like an insane misallocation of US national security assets and attention.
December 17, 2025 at 2:52 AM
This 👇. My go-to explanation since the boat strikes and navy buildup began in late summer: They're bootstrapping a justification for invoking the Alien Enemies Act to detain and deport people domestically.
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
There’s a direct line from ‘just asking questions about women’s sports’ to criminalizing our health care, we warned you it was coming, you said it would be fine and you just had a few more questions.
December 18, 2025 at 4:25 AM
There’s a direct line from ‘just asking questions about women’s sports’ to criminalizing our health care, we warned you it was coming, you said it would be fine and you just had a few more questions.
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
This is what Gavin Newsom's strategic strategizing gets you.
Alabama rep cites Gavin Newson's vote to out trans kids to parents as precedent that the federal government should follow
December 17, 2025 at 9:57 PM
This is what Gavin Newsom's strategic strategizing gets you.
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
Gun violence is the biggest cause of child deaths in the US. RFK Jr is determined to change that... not by reducing gun violence, but by increasing the number of children who die from vaccine-preventable disease.
December 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Gun violence is the biggest cause of child deaths in the US. RFK Jr is determined to change that... not by reducing gun violence, but by increasing the number of children who die from vaccine-preventable disease.
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
The administration dismantling NCAR is scientific vandalism, much like the Taliban demolishing cultural artifacts.
www.theguardian.com/world/2001/m...
www.theguardian.com/world/2001/m...
December 17, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The administration dismantling NCAR is scientific vandalism, much like the Taliban demolishing cultural artifacts.
www.theguardian.com/world/2001/m...
www.theguardian.com/world/2001/m...
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
What strikes me about this Miller quote (aside from the gutter racism and misunderstanding of how context and history shape human action) is how little confidence it displays in the resilience of American institutions.
"We're the best on earth, but also embarrassingly fragile"
"We're the best on earth, but also embarrassingly fragile"
December 14, 2025 at 9:20 PM
What strikes me about this Miller quote (aside from the gutter racism and misunderstanding of how context and history shape human action) is how little confidence it displays in the resilience of American institutions.
"We're the best on earth, but also embarrassingly fragile"
"We're the best on earth, but also embarrassingly fragile"
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
Michael C. Rockefeller got shipwrecked in 1963, washed up on an island, and was promptly eaten by cannibals.
December 13, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Michael C. Rockefeller got shipwrecked in 1963, washed up on an island, and was promptly eaten by cannibals.
Is there a bigger logical disconnect than denying climate models to embrace AI? (I know I've thought this before. But sometimes these ideas come back around again and hit you harder the next time.) 🌍🌎🌏
December 12, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Is there a bigger logical disconnect than denying climate models to embrace AI? (I know I've thought this before. But sometimes these ideas come back around again and hit you harder the next time.) 🌍🌎🌏
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
🚨 URGENT!!!!!! Congress is trying to ram through 18 massive censorship/surveillance laws TODAY 🚨
CALL THESE REPS NOW and tell them
—NO to KOSA
—NO to Section 230 reform
—NO to age verification laws
—NO to the SCREEN Act
—NO to digital ID laws (App Store Accountability Act)
badinternetbills.com
CALL THESE REPS NOW and tell them
—NO to KOSA
—NO to Section 230 reform
—NO to age verification laws
—NO to the SCREEN Act
—NO to digital ID laws (App Store Accountability Act)
badinternetbills.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:36 PM
🚨 URGENT!!!!!! Congress is trying to ram through 18 massive censorship/surveillance laws TODAY 🚨
CALL THESE REPS NOW and tell them
—NO to KOSA
—NO to Section 230 reform
—NO to age verification laws
—NO to the SCREEN Act
—NO to digital ID laws (App Store Accountability Act)
badinternetbills.com
CALL THESE REPS NOW and tell them
—NO to KOSA
—NO to Section 230 reform
—NO to age verification laws
—NO to the SCREEN Act
—NO to digital ID laws (App Store Accountability Act)
badinternetbills.com
As it happens, doing some formatting on a new interface. Make it Calibri, then!
December 11, 2025 at 2:47 PM
As it happens, doing some formatting on a new interface. Make it Calibri, then!
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
Read this: www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
December 7, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Read this: www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
More of this nationwide please!
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara issued a stern warning to his officers on Thursday: Intervene when you see Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents using unlawful force or lose your job.
Minneapolis police chief warns officers: Stop unlawful force by ICE or lose your job
Chief Brian O’Hara says he’ll fire city police officers if they don’t intervene when immigration agents use unlawful force.
www.ms.now
December 6, 2025 at 4:13 PM
More of this nationwide please!
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
It starts with knowing the truth. Don’t allow yourselves to be gaslit into believing this is a real question.
December 6, 2025 at 2:44 PM
It starts with knowing the truth. Don’t allow yourselves to be gaslit into believing this is a real question.
As someone who wrote a lot about land use planning and transportation design in the 90s, I find it extraordinarily depressing to read a news story about rising traffic congestion that does not even wave a hand vaguely in the direction of root causes. www.npr.org/2025/12/05/n...
Traffic congestion hits a record high, spreading to more hours of the week
If it seems like traffic is getting worse where you live, that's because it probably is. After dropping during the COVID-19 pandemic, congestion climbed to record levels in 2024, researchers say.
www.npr.org
December 5, 2025 at 10:47 PM
As someone who wrote a lot about land use planning and transportation design in the 90s, I find it extraordinarily depressing to read a news story about rising traffic congestion that does not even wave a hand vaguely in the direction of root causes. www.npr.org/2025/12/05/n...
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
i’m not crying you’re crying
xkcd: Fifteen Years
xkcd: Fifteen Years
Fifteen Years
xkcd.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:58 AM
i’m not crying you’re crying
xkcd: Fifteen Years
xkcd: Fifteen Years
Reposted by Erik Ness — The Lemonadist
Few things bug me more than higher ed leaders saying that we lost our mission and lost the trust of the public, when we have actually been the target of a decades-long smear campaign by the right wing that worked. The moment we’re losing our mission is right now, in capitulation.
November 19, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Few things bug me more than higher ed leaders saying that we lost our mission and lost the trust of the public, when we have actually been the target of a decades-long smear campaign by the right wing that worked. The moment we’re losing our mission is right now, in capitulation.