Zac Whittenburg
@trailerpilot.bsky.social
Chicagoan, Coloradan, cyclist, grantmaker, shutterbug, writer, and a few other things. Posts are mine alone, he / him, reskeet ≠ “I think”
Pinned
Growing up in Boulder, I visited NCAR a number of times on school field trips. Not only did the science and technology amaze my classmates (and teachers) and me, its I. M. Pei–designed campus was a formative architectural experience. It was hallowed ground. bit.ly/3XZs0aC
Trump moves to dismantle major US climate research center in Colorado
The Trump administration is breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
bit.ly
December 17, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Growing up in Boulder, I visited NCAR a number of times on school field trips. Not only did the science and technology amaze my classmates (and teachers) and me, its I. M. Pei–designed campus was a formative architectural experience. It was hallowed ground. bit.ly/3XZs0aC
Reposted by Zac Whittenburg
Dennis Scott is a true midwestern vaudevillian! Joshua Minsoo Kim interviews the longtime @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social organist for the Reader. https://bit.ly/4oRqkuO
An interview with Dennis Scott, Music Box Theatre organist - Chicago Reader
Midwestern vaudevillian Dennis Scott discusses his early memories of music, his mentor, and the joys of playing during the holiday season.
chicagoreader.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Dennis Scott is a true midwestern vaudevillian! Joshua Minsoo Kim interviews the longtime @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social organist for the Reader. https://bit.ly/4oRqkuO
Smart conversation on today’s @blockclubchi.bsky.social podcast about the roles local media, agency propaganda, public messaging, and fatigue and forgetfulness play in conflicts over immigration bit.ly/3XGoH87
‘Lying Constantly’ - How The Feds Used Propaganda During Midway Blitz | The Block Club Chicago Podcast
Homeland Security has sought to reshape violent encounters into triumphant narratives — even as judges, journalists and experts said the agency has repeatedly distorted facts, misled the public and at...
bit.ly
December 9, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Smart conversation on today’s @blockclubchi.bsky.social podcast about the roles local media, agency propaganda, public messaging, and fatigue and forgetfulness play in conflicts over immigration bit.ly/3XGoH87
Reposted by Zac Whittenburg
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
The first time I visited Washington DC was in November 2008. I attended the last rally of Barack Obama’s campaign in Manassas VA. The second time I visited was in November 2016, when I watched Hillary Clinton’s concession speech from a DCA concourse. My third visit was this week.
December 7, 2025 at 10:00 PM
The first time I visited Washington DC was in November 2008. I attended the last rally of Barack Obama’s campaign in Manassas VA. The second time I visited was in November 2016, when I watched Hillary Clinton’s concession speech from a DCA concourse. My third visit was this week.
“While some are aspirational, reliant on their founders securing hard-to-come-by special economic zone status, there are now about 120 ‘start-up societies’ in the works, according to an open-source database shared by [Balaji] Srinivasan.” on.ft.com/4pPs9cj
Tech elites are starting their own for-profit cities
They want to escape from regulation and ‘failing’ democracy — but are they more opportunistic than libertarian?
on.ft.com
December 7, 2025 at 5:23 PM
“While some are aspirational, reliant on their founders securing hard-to-come-by special economic zone status, there are now about 120 ‘start-up societies’ in the works, according to an open-source database shared by [Balaji] Srinivasan.” on.ft.com/4pPs9cj
It felt good in December 2025 to stand in the same spot at 4th Street NW and Madison Drive NW in Washington, DC where, in January 1989, my dad stood and took a photograph of the East Building of the National Gallery of Art (I. M. Pei & Partners, 1978)
December 7, 2025 at 3:30 PM
It felt good in December 2025 to stand in the same spot at 4th Street NW and Madison Drive NW in Washington, DC where, in January 1989, my dad stood and took a photograph of the East Building of the National Gallery of Art (I. M. Pei & Partners, 1978)
“The dance field has not been in a moment of incredible glory and surplus in my entire lifetime.” bit.ly/48BvG79
She was a dancer who leapt to the top of her field — then the Trump administration fired her
Ousted from her position as Kennedy Center dance director Jane Raleigh is still trying to choreograph her next steps.
bit.ly
December 6, 2025 at 1:51 PM
“The dance field has not been in a moment of incredible glory and surplus in my entire lifetime.” bit.ly/48BvG79
While Frank Gehry is not generally in my pantheon of contemporary architects, I’ve had many great experiences in and around his buildings and referenced them often in my writing about dance.
December 6, 2025 at 1:18 AM
While Frank Gehry is not generally in my pantheon of contemporary architects, I’ve had many great experiences in and around his buildings and referenced them often in my writing about dance.
“Several artists say the [Kennedy Center] has been stiffing them on their fees.” bit.ly/4pLlzDK
Kennedy Center to Artists: Your Checks Are In the Mail
According to reps for several performers, the beleaguered arts institution isn’t showing them the money.
bit.ly
December 5, 2025 at 3:05 PM
“Several artists say the [Kennedy Center] has been stiffing them on their fees.” bit.ly/4pLlzDK
“They operate as highly optimized machines for converting geopolitical upheaval, public spending, and professional labor into predictable returns.” bit.ly/4oFyF4u
Trump’s new ballroom architect, Shalom Baranes, is a self-described “refugee” who publicly challenged the president on immigration
“My work would be impossible without my fellow immigrants,” he wrote in 2017
bit.ly
December 5, 2025 at 2:53 PM
“They operate as highly optimized machines for converting geopolitical upheaval, public spending, and professional labor into predictable returns.” bit.ly/4oFyF4u
Reposted by Zac Whittenburg
forty-one minutes is a long time to spend premeditating
December 5, 2025 at 2:44 AM
forty-one minutes is a long time to spend premeditating
Reposted by Zac Whittenburg
The fact that a second strike like that in an armed conflict is definitely a war crime should not completely negate the fact that *there is no war* and ALL the strikes are cold-blooded murder. The whole chain of command are murderers.
December 5, 2025 at 1:20 AM
The fact that a second strike like that in an armed conflict is definitely a war crime should not completely negate the fact that *there is no war* and ALL the strikes are cold-blooded murder. The whole chain of command are murderers.
What does it mean when Pete Hegseth publicly states that Andrew Kolvet’s wish is a military command? In case of conflict between Kolvet and Trump, whose wish prevails? What does “command” mean?
December 5, 2025 at 2:17 AM
What does it mean when Pete Hegseth publicly states that Andrew Kolvet’s wish is a military command? In case of conflict between Kolvet and Trump, whose wish prevails? What does “command” mean?
Reposted by Zac Whittenburg
@helenshaw.bsky.social is a genius & a mensch & this is a huge gain for the New York Times! Bummed for us but very excited to read her in their pages… www.nytco.com/press/helen-...
Helen Shaw Joins Culture | The New York Times Company
www.nytco.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:15 PM
@helenshaw.bsky.social is a genius & a mensch & this is a huge gain for the New York Times! Bummed for us but very excited to read her in their pages… www.nytco.com/press/helen-...
“In her lawsuit, the bulk of Dulaney’s complaints stem from what she calls a ‘misuse of funds’ and concerns about ‘budget transparency.’ …The lawsuit also states that she was asked to ‘falsify reporting’ on grants” bit.ly/3Y6aTDQ
DuSable Black History Museum, CEO misused public funds, whistleblower alleges
A lawsuit, which also alleges bullying, was filed in Cook County by Kim Dulaney, a former director and vice president at the museum.
bit.ly
December 3, 2025 at 4:04 PM
“In her lawsuit, the bulk of Dulaney’s complaints stem from what she calls a ‘misuse of funds’ and concerns about ‘budget transparency.’ …The lawsuit also states that she was asked to ‘falsify reporting’ on grants” bit.ly/3Y6aTDQ
Reposted by Zac Whittenburg
In Chicago alone, more than 22,000 people are living with HIV.
Since President Donald Trump assumed office for the second time, the federal government has made major cuts and structural changes to both domestic and global HIV/AIDS funding. https://to.wttw.com/4rDw4uO
Since President Donald Trump assumed office for the second time, the federal government has made major cuts and structural changes to both domestic and global HIV/AIDS funding. https://to.wttw.com/4rDw4uO
December 2, 2025 at 9:20 PM
In Chicago alone, more than 22,000 people are living with HIV.
Since President Donald Trump assumed office for the second time, the federal government has made major cuts and structural changes to both domestic and global HIV/AIDS funding. https://to.wttw.com/4rDw4uO
Since President Donald Trump assumed office for the second time, the federal government has made major cuts and structural changes to both domestic and global HIV/AIDS funding. https://to.wttw.com/4rDw4uO
Incroyable
December 2, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Incroyable
“Riding that train made me feel like Canada was finally building transit fit for the 21st century, a worthy counterpart to the systems that are now common in Asian and European cities.” t.ly/zYkOi
Montreal's New Rail Line Is the Future - Macleans.ca
Canada has forgotten how to build fast, cheap transit. A new megaproject has the fix.
t.ly
December 1, 2025 at 12:50 AM
“Riding that train made me feel like Canada was finally building transit fit for the 21st century, a worthy counterpart to the systems that are now common in Asian and European cities.” t.ly/zYkOi
“It is to the exhibition’s credit that Chang is given room in the oral history to push back subtly against Surya’s overarching argument. (I wish more architecture shows would accommodate this kind of internal push and pull.)” t.ly/T2jb6
A bracingly new take on China’s Mao-era architecture
“How Modern,” at Montreal's CCA, turns conventional wisdom on its head; plus: remembering Bob Stern
t.ly
December 1, 2025 at 12:22 AM
“It is to the exhibition’s credit that Chang is given room in the oral history to push back subtly against Surya’s overarching argument. (I wish more architecture shows would accommodate this kind of internal push and pull.)” t.ly/T2jb6
“But literacy is not only about understanding how value is built. It is also about recognizing when someone is moving in bad faith.” t.ly/MDjNp
Everything Is Not Fine in the Art World
Auction headlines offer a picture of health that hides a body in crisis.
t.ly
November 30, 2025 at 11:11 PM
“But literacy is not only about understanding how value is built. It is also about recognizing when someone is moving in bad faith.” t.ly/MDjNp
Shout out to the SEA gate agent who just welcomed “everyone in Group B for Breathtaking to board”
November 30, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Shout out to the SEA gate agent who just welcomed “everyone in Group B for Breathtaking to board”
Because of my work, I’m subscribed to emails and newsletters from 100+ nonprofits, both grantmaking and grantseeking. Some have recently (and for the first time in memory) included long letters from staff and board leaders and other boxes of pearly prose. Walls of text instead of photos and links.
ChatGPT’s signature writing style is everywhere now, and I hate it. It reminds me of when we tried mixing all the beverages at the soda fountain in middle school. We didn’t actually create the perfect drink, we just made a cloying monstrosity that lost everything good about its constituent parts.
November 27, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Because of my work, I’m subscribed to emails and newsletters from 100+ nonprofits, both grantmaking and grantseeking. Some have recently (and for the first time in memory) included long letters from staff and board leaders and other boxes of pearly prose. Walls of text instead of photos and links.
Reposted by Zac Whittenburg
Breaking News: Robert A.M. Stern, a New York architect whose crowning creation was hailed as a rebirth of prewar luxury, is dead at 86.
Robert A.M. Stern, Architect Who Reinvented Prewar Splendor, Dies at 86
He designed museums, schools and libraries before winning international acclaim late in life for 15 Central Park West in Manhattan, hailed as a rebirth of the luxury apartment building.
nyti.ms
November 27, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Breaking News: Robert A.M. Stern, a New York architect whose crowning creation was hailed as a rebirth of prewar luxury, is dead at 86.
“What we’re talking about here is racial profiling.” t.ly/X1w5U
‘Northern Exposure’ actor gave ICE agents in Redmond her tribal ID. They called it ‘fake,’ she says
Indigenous actor Elaine Miles of "Northern Exposure" was detained by ICE at a Redmond bus stop. When she showed them her Tribal ID, they told her it was fake.
t.ly
November 27, 2025 at 5:48 PM
“What we’re talking about here is racial profiling.” t.ly/X1w5U