Steve McGookin
@stevemcgstates.bsky.social
Former journalist for news orgs in London and NYC, now happily torn between Maryland and Ireland. statesofplayproject.com
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Our photographer Alex Kormann captured the exact moment the presses stopped for the last time in Minneapolis, ending a 158 history of locally printed newspapers.
December 28, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Our photographer Alex Kormann captured the exact moment the presses stopped for the last time in Minneapolis, ending a 158 history of locally printed newspapers.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Metaphor alert
another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls
December 27, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Metaphor alert
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Two stories side by side in WashPost
December 26, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Two stories side by side in WashPost
Reposted by Steve McGookin
"The newspaper industry served as a feeder for our entire news media ecosystem. So when we lose those newspapers, we've lost that journalism. In the early 2000s, we had 40 journalists per 100,000 people. We're now down to 8 journalists per 100,000 people," says @victorpickard.bsky.social.
December 16, 2025 at 7:12 PM
"The newspaper industry served as a feeder for our entire news media ecosystem. So when we lose those newspapers, we've lost that journalism. In the early 2000s, we had 40 journalists per 100,000 people. We're now down to 8 journalists per 100,000 people," says @victorpickard.bsky.social.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Yeah this is just what his communications team wants right now
Trump: I am fine. You sound beautiful and cute. How old are you?
Caller: I am eight
Caller: I am eight
December 24, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Yeah this is just what his communications team wants right now
Reposted by Steve McGookin
"The reason so many of yesterday’s free-speech champions transitioned so easily into today’s pro-Trump censors is that their definition of free speech never included the right of others to talk back." @adamserwer.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
The Triumph of Free-Speech Hypocrisy
What the 60 Minutes scandal reveals
www.theatlantic.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:01 PM
"The reason so many of yesterday’s free-speech champions transitioned so easily into today’s pro-Trump censors is that their definition of free speech never included the right of others to talk back." @adamserwer.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Of course Bashar al Assad is living comfortably in Russia.
Putin wants current and potential future lackeys to see that partnering with Russia can not only defend/empower you, but if it stops working, will get you a soft landing.
Downside is death? Pass. Downside is luxurious exile? Risk worth it.
Putin wants current and potential future lackeys to see that partnering with Russia can not only defend/empower you, but if it stops working, will get you a soft landing.
Downside is death? Pass. Downside is luxurious exile? Risk worth it.
December 23, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Of course Bashar al Assad is living comfortably in Russia.
Putin wants current and potential future lackeys to see that partnering with Russia can not only defend/empower you, but if it stops working, will get you a soft landing.
Downside is death? Pass. Downside is luxurious exile? Risk worth it.
Putin wants current and potential future lackeys to see that partnering with Russia can not only defend/empower you, but if it stops working, will get you a soft landing.
Downside is death? Pass. Downside is luxurious exile? Risk worth it.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
This is as easy a test of your belief in the American system as is conceivable: Should this be an acceptable argument from a president?
December 23, 2025 at 11:59 AM
This is as easy a test of your belief in the American system as is conceivable: Should this be an acceptable argument from a president?
Reposted by Steve McGookin
The 2025 Headline of the Year Nominees
🧵
🧵
December 22, 2025 at 11:48 PM
The 2025 Headline of the Year Nominees
🧵
🧵
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Trump administration to scrap federal rule requiring transparency into health AI tools www.statnews.com/2025/12/22/h...
Trump administration to scrap federal rule requiring transparency into health AI tools
The Trump administration wants to scrap rules that require developers to disclose how AI tools used to treat patients were developed and tested.
www.statnews.com
December 22, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Trump administration to scrap federal rule requiring transparency into health AI tools www.statnews.com/2025/12/22/h...
Reposted by Steve McGookin
I’d highly recommend everyone give it a watch/listen. The series was famously censored by the BBC (statements about Trump that they were too frightened to air)
An excellent piece by @rutgerbregman.com
m.youtube.com/watch?v=fUJ-...
An excellent piece by @rutgerbregman.com
m.youtube.com/watch?v=fUJ-...
Are we living through the fall of civilisation? | The Reith Lectures 2025
YouTube video by BBC Sounds
m.youtube.com
December 21, 2025 at 2:13 PM
I’d highly recommend everyone give it a watch/listen. The series was famously censored by the BBC (statements about Trump that they were too frightened to air)
An excellent piece by @rutgerbregman.com
m.youtube.com/watch?v=fUJ-...
An excellent piece by @rutgerbregman.com
m.youtube.com/watch?v=fUJ-...
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Honestly, CBS was better off under this asshole. At least they were honest.
December 22, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Honestly, CBS was better off under this asshole. At least they were honest.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Just a week ago, 60 Minutes reporter Scott Pelley said the new owners had not meddled in content decisions. That clearly changed today. The only question is why and given the folks involved (ellison, Weiss), we’ll probably learn the road leads straight to trump.
All of these links went to promotion of this story earlier today. All these links are dead now — that's how thoroughly they've scrubbed this.
December 21, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Just a week ago, 60 Minutes reporter Scott Pelley said the new owners had not meddled in content decisions. That clearly changed today. The only question is why and given the folks involved (ellison, Weiss), we’ll probably learn the road leads straight to trump.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
I guess it's fitting that it's a reimagined, worse version of someone else's artwork
December 12, 2025 at 4:00 AM
I guess it's fitting that it's a reimagined, worse version of someone else's artwork
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Hard to imagine this level of dysfunction lasting another three years and two months.
December 11, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Hard to imagine this level of dysfunction lasting another three years and two months.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.'
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
December 10, 2025 at 5:10 PM
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
Reposted by Steve McGookin
"Nora Benavidez of the nonprofit advocacy group Free Press set out to catalog the Trump administration's First Amendment infringements," writes Brian Stelter. | Analysis
"She soon had a list of almost 200."
https://cnn.it/3MtYHKA
"She soon had a list of almost 200."
https://cnn.it/3MtYHKA
December 8, 2025 at 2:30 PM
"Nora Benavidez of the nonprofit advocacy group Free Press set out to catalog the Trump administration's First Amendment infringements," writes Brian Stelter. | Analysis
"She soon had a list of almost 200."
https://cnn.it/3MtYHKA
"She soon had a list of almost 200."
https://cnn.it/3MtYHKA
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Are we moving towards two civilizations? One uber wealthy, an enclosed economy of AI driven demand and supply, and another agrarian, artisanal, poor? How should journalism work against that scenario? Join me, Heather Chaplin and @rushkoff.com on a wild podcast exploration #journalism2050
When forces shaping our future look at humanity as Humanity 1.0. Futurist Douglas @rushkoff.com with Journalism 2050 hosts @emilybell.bsky.social and Heather Chaplin. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/j...
December 7, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Are we moving towards two civilizations? One uber wealthy, an enclosed economy of AI driven demand and supply, and another agrarian, artisanal, poor? How should journalism work against that scenario? Join me, Heather Chaplin and @rushkoff.com on a wild podcast exploration #journalism2050
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Reposted by Steve McGookin
If you've ever been to a naturalization ceremony, you know they're filled with people whose palpable love of this country is twenty times stronger than the pinched "patriotism" of any native-born MAGA chud.
Just unspeakable assholery.
Just unspeakable assholery.
December 7, 2025 at 12:45 AM
If you've ever been to a naturalization ceremony, you know they're filled with people whose palpable love of this country is twenty times stronger than the pinched "patriotism" of any native-born MAGA chud.
Just unspeakable assholery.
Just unspeakable assholery.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
in the movies this is the screensaver on the computers at the world’s most evil company
December 5, 2025 at 7:03 PM
in the movies this is the screensaver on the computers at the world’s most evil company
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Stephen Moore to be announced as the inaugural winner of the FIFA economics prize.
December 5, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Stephen Moore to be announced as the inaugural winner of the FIFA economics prize.
So Spain and Argentina are in different "pathways" because Fifa don't want them to meet until at least the semis? That seems a bit iffy, no?
December 5, 2025 at 6:35 PM
So Spain and Argentina are in different "pathways" because Fifa don't want them to meet until at least the semis? That seems a bit iffy, no?
Reposted by Steve McGookin
I didn't think a US World Cup would be able to top Diana Ross's "penalty" for embarrassment, but here we are.
December 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I didn't think a US World Cup would be able to top Diana Ross's "penalty" for embarrassment, but here we are.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
This has strong Make-A-Wish kid gets to pretend to be Batman vibes except without anything feel-good about it.
December 5, 2025 at 6:13 PM
This has strong Make-A-Wish kid gets to pretend to be Batman vibes except without anything feel-good about it.