SprawlMaven
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sprawlmaven.bsky.social
SprawlMaven
@sprawlmaven.bsky.social
Mostly here to read, like, repost, and comment on insights across a spectrum of views.
'Likes' mean: "Thanks for pointing out something that I would not otherwise have noticed."
Reposted by SprawlMaven
NEW: Data on Russian forces’ rate of advance indicates that a Russian military victory in Ukraine is not inevitable, and a rapid Russian seizure of the rest of Donetsk Oblast is not imminent. Russian advances elsewhere on the frontline have been opportunistic and exploited seasonal weather. ⬇️🧵
November 27, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
"Never spread the lie in the headline" should be a hard rule of 21st century journalism.

Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
News media has to do better with headlines that present false and unverified public health claims.
November 30, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
if you are a news professional - msm, trade or indie- you have the power to fix this. and don’t let the fact that they paint all of us with a broad brushstroke stop you from rising above…
Unfortunately, in US journalism it is considered neutral to spread a lie, but it is considered "biased" to call out a lie. So, there is a structural asymmetry that rewards colorful lies with virality.
November 30, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
Via @lemieuxlgm.bsky.social

This is against the UN Charter we helped craft. Also an act of war. And a reminder of what a complete hack Glenn Greenwald has been. Jeebus, it is all insane.

The Peace President orders unilateral no-fly zone over Venezuela www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2025/11/the-...
The Peace President orders unilateral no-fly zone over Venezuela - Lawyers, Guns & Money
It’s the non-interventionist mindset. You wouldn’t understand: President Donald Trump abruptly ordered the airspace closed above and around Venezuela on Saturday, further escalating tensions between t...
www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com
November 29, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
Witkoff and Co. priorities in “peace” negotiations:

1) Make money
2) Get Putin what he wants in Ukraine, which will facilitate 1
3) Get connected Americans a piece of the spoils in Ukraine

And that’s apparently it.

Not priorities: freedom, security, justice, law, US allies, avoiding future war
Three powerful businessmen—two Americans and a Russian—hunched over a laptop in Miami Beach last month, ostensibly to draw up a plan to end Russia’s long and deadly war with Ukraine.
Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine
The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace through business. To Europe’s dismay, the president and his envoy are on board.
www.wsj.com
November 29, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
I have strong reason to believe that this is the mirror image of the "deal" that Trump is trying to strike with Xi for the surrender of Taiwan.
November 29, 2025 at 11:37 PM
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Suddenly, the applause he gave on that red-carpeted airport tarmac makes a lot more sense. 🤡
“In days after Alaska, a European intel agency distributed a hard-copy report in an envelope to some of the continent’s most senior national security officials, who were shocked by the contents: Inside were details of the commercial and economic plans the Trump admin had been pursuing with Russia.”
Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine
The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace through business. To Europe’s dismay, the president and his envoy are on board.
www.wsj.com
November 29, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
Imagine all cars were electric, and then one Volkswagen engineer comes up with another idea …

#EMobility
August 11, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
CEO-to-worker pay ratio in 1965: 20-1

CEO-to-worker pay ratio in 1990: 75-1

CEO-to-worker pay ratio today: 280-to-1

Trickle-down economics was always a sham.

Nothing has ever trickled down.
November 29, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
As someone whose spent a decade-plus covering social services in NY and TX, let me say this has nothing to do with immigration — and everything to do with government outsourcing delivery of key services to non-profits it cannot properly supervise and politics: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/u...
How Fraud Swamped Minnesota’s Social Services System on Tim Walz’s Watch
www.nytimes.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
Not to minimize the plight here, but notice how Gold is cheaper than Silver here?

That’s a (mild) example of Premium Alignment, which I explained a few weeks ago is a way that a dozen or so states are using to partially mitigate the lost federal tax credits:

acasignups.net/25/11/12/the...
November 29, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
"If you look at job growth between January and September ... for the past 15 years, it's only been worse once, and that was during the pandemic ... It is the worst first nine months for the labor market in 15 years."
November 28, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
"Conservative groups, funded by fossil fuel magnates, spend $1B/yr interfering with public understanding of what is happening to our world. Few investments rival the return they've gotten from evangelicals."

An oldie but goodie makes the link between fossil fuels, climate denial, and U.S. religion.
How Fossil Fuel Money Made Climate Change Denial the Word of God
Splinter is your home for news and opinions that challenge power in our political and economic system that's becoming more unhinged each and every day.
www.splinter.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
Cannot recommend high enough this @volts.wtf episode (and a subscription)!

The no-brainer way forward of laying out the clean electrification, through pv, wind and batteries, VPPs and distributed capacity markets.

Buy what will make it happen, and curb the fossil capital blocking all right now?
What's going on in electricity world?
Some thoughts on where we are in the electricity sector -- data centers, rising rates, etc. -- and a way forward that can benefit everyone.
www.volts.wtf
November 29, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
This is one of the most important exposés published in WSJ in several years, and it derives from intercepts and analyses by foreign intelligence services studying the conduct of Trump and his inner team. It's first and foremost a wake up call to the people of the United States.
Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine
The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace through business. To Europe’s dismay, the president and his envoy are on board.
www.wsj.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
Recommended
I joined @cwarzel.bsky.social on the Galaxy Brain Podcast to explain some of the reasons why America, and a lot of other Western democracies, are sliding into authoritarianism and why it's probably inevitable
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvFh...
America’s Slide Toward Simulated Democracy with Eliot Higgins
YouTube video by The Atlantic
www.youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
Yup, the reason that there was a small business boom under Biden was the enhanced tax credits. There was a record 21 million new businesses under his term. Without those enhancements that level the healthcare costs, we are going to see the economy constrict.
Around half of #ACA enrollees are people who are self-employed.

The other half mostly work for small businesses which don't provide healthcare coverage for their employees.

The ACA is VITAL to small businesses.
When health care tax credits expire, it’s working people who pay the price. Maine deserves leadership that protects affordable health care — not let premiums soar because of inaction.

www.pressherald.com/2025/11/24/m...
November 28, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
It’s #BlackFridayParking day, so we took a visit to the Danbury Fair Mall in Danbury, CT.

Even on the busiest day of the year—a day where the front side of the mall is packed—the back side and parking garage has more than enough space!
November 28, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
I watched that keynote and he was impressive and I thought, "We need more leaders like him".
November 28, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
And for the curious, here it is on YouTube: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni8B...
Governor Tim Walz - Uniting One Minnesota | We're All on the Map
YouTube video by Esri
m.youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
I joined @cwarzel.bsky.social on the Galaxy Brain Podcast to explain some of the reasons why America, and a lot of other Western democracies, are sliding into authoritarianism and why it's probably inevitable
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvFh...
America’s Slide Toward Simulated Democracy with Eliot Higgins
YouTube video by The Atlantic
www.youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
There’s plenty of room to park at Noon on the busiest shopping day of the year. #BlackFridayParking
November 24, 2023 at 7:17 PM
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I had my first ever go at one of those round table talking heads sort of shows, and promised myself ahead of time that I wouldn't turn into a shouting head.

And then one of the panelists said something utterly silly... I didn't shout, but you might be able to hear my eyeroll.
November 27, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
The tech leaders who championed DOGE are gonna try to get back into influencing the Democratic Party, and I think it’s a different situation than welcoming back regretful Trump 2024 voters
November 26, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Reposted by SprawlMaven
Landmark move: New York City's comptroller @bradlander.bsky.social, with hundreds of billions under his control, recommends dropping investment giant Blackrock because they won't reckon with climate change.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
NYC’s Lander Recommends Dropping $42 Billion BlackRock Mandate
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is urging three of the city’s pension funds to drop BlackRock Inc. because of “inadequate” climate plans, the latest move to penalize investment firms for failing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:08 PM