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Victor Caston

@vcaston.bsky.social

1.2K followers 650 following 1.7K posts

Philosophy & Classical Studies, University of Michigan. In case anyone was in doubt, my opinions are my own.

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Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · Aug 1

Unbelievably, @nehgov.bsky.social funded our Summer Institute:

Aristotle and Contemporary Philosophy of Mind
Directors: Jose Bermudez, Victor Caston

At Texas A&M, first two weeks of June.

More details on applications to follow.

National Endowment for the Humanities @nehgov.bsky.social · Aug 1

NEH Announces $34.79 Million in Grants for 97 Humanities Projects tinyurl.com/ympbr56k

NEH Announces $34.79 Million for 97 Humanities Projects

tinyurl.com

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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 8h

🏆 How does a comedy show have the best news research team? @thedailyshow.com

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Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · 8h

paywalled

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John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 8h

For the record, he has a JD, was a constitutional lawyer for the ADF (rightwing group behind 303 Creative, the Colorado gay cake case, and current conversion therapy one), and was even dean of a law school that never opened (shady).

But also? Claims to have no idea how laws or constitutions work.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 10h

Q: Do you agree that the mayor of Chicago and governor of Illinois should be in prison?

MIKE JOHNSON: Should they be in prison? I'm not the attorney general. I'm not following the day to day on that

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Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · 8h

This isn't even exploitation. It's theft: their business model will fail if we can't steal others' work without permission.

Why is that a compelling argument to anyone other than Oligarchs?

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · 10h

Schiff lists all the questions Bondi refused to answer in the hearings. It is quite a long list.

She is a scandal. I hope she meets John Mitchell's fate, at the very minimum.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

"This is supposed to be an oversight hearing" -- Schiff helpfully ticks through all of the incriminating questions -- and there are many of them -- that Bondi refused to answer during today's hearing

Reposted by Victor Caston

Denise Wheeler @denisedwheeler.bsky.social · 1d

Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst noticed that Bondi flipped open a file during the Senate hearing and he zoomed in.

Inside were her crib notes for attacking the senators.

The GOP now practicing Cliff's Notes Fascism

In other words, under oath Bondi was purely a performance.

Bondi senate hearing had a folder full of notes for attacking the senators

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Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · 21h

Schumer got the memo. At 0:26, he says "No fucking way."

They could end this at 0:35 and trim, and it would be a very effective ad.

Charlotte Clymer @charlotteclymer.bsky.social · 22h

"So, Democrats have three words for this: no fucking way. It's literally life or death. We will not let Republicans blow up our health care system."

This is, hands down, the best comms work Chuck Schumer has done in YEARS. Surprisingly good.

Reposted by Victor Caston

Garrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 1d

If appropriations bills are not seen as enforceable contracts, why should any Member of Congress vote to fund any part of the federal government under Donald Trump? You're voting to provide money for lawlessness. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/there-is-n...

There is no budget "deal" to be made

President Trump has so broken the constitutional framework as to make joint normal, responsible government impossible.

www.doomsdayscenario.co

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 22h

These people are evil. Never stop saying so. Don’t be intimidated into shutting up.

Kurt @flglchicago.bsky.social · 1d

Here’s video of the incident

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Daniel Knowles @dlknowles.bsky.social · 1d

Good reporting on the South Shore raid from South Side weekly here.

Confirms one thing I was told but didn't put in my own piece because I didn't have a second source and it seemed too insane: border agents segregated arrested residents by race

southsideweekly.com/federal-agen...

Federal Agents Storm South Shore Building, Detaining Families and Children

Families were woken by flashbangs and helicopters as hundreds of federal agents raided their homes. Days later, neighbors are still searching for the missing.

southsideweekly.com

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Paul Eric Scannell @pauleric70.bsky.social · 1d

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson just signed an order making city property off-limits to ICE. As federal troops deploy to Chicago, this is a bold stand for accountability and human rights. No city should ever be turned into a battleground for political power.

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Melanie D’Arrigo @darrigomelanie.bsky.social · 1d

I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.

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Democracy Forward @democracyforward.org · 1d

We’d also love to know what happened to the $50,000 Tom Homan allegedly took from FBI agents.

Luckily, we’ve sued for the receipts.

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Aunty Em @everycourthouse.bsky.social · 1d

He froze because he realized, in real time, that what he’d just said carried serious constitutional implications. Which now will be used against the Trump administration in court. He invoked “plenary authority.” That phrase means complete authority, basically the president has dictatorial powers.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

CNN: Does the administration still plan to abide by that court ruling?

STEPHEN MILLER: The administration filed an appeal this morning ... ... ...

CNN: Stephen? Stephen? Can you hear me?

MILLER: ... ... ...

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Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · 1d

Pam Bondi admits she spoke to Apple to "get the ICEBlock app taken down." Sounds an awful lot like coercion to suppress disfavored speech to me. A clear violation of the 1st Amendment.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Bondi claims that the ICEBlock app was "criminal in that people were posting where ICE officers lived"

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Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · 1d

Deliciously acid tongued, but likely accurate.

A cautionary tale: be careful what you wish for.

Elizabeth Lopatto @lopatto.bsky.social · 1d

please read my memo www.theverge.com/business/793...

Memo to Bari Weiss Re: CBS News: You’re doomed

Bari Weiss has sold her company, The Free Press, to manage the decline of broadcast news at CBS. How many ways can it go wrong?

www.theverge.com

Reposted by Victor Caston

Academic Anarchy🏴 - Antifa Founder @johnbrownbread.bsky.social · 1d

The nazis themselves were not some clever masterminds where everything they did went perfect. They were also comical idiots who did ridiculous things, like invading Russia in the winter.

They gained power because the opposition couldn’t understand that the fascists were not rational agents.

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · Feb 5

that said: I think the "it's not fascism unless they're good at it" brand of analysis probably isn't the move

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Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · 1d

Shame on both of them!

Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · 1d

Wait, wait, wait. Hegseth is a Harvard man?

The Independent @the-independent.com · 1d

Anti-woke crusader Pete Hegseth praised DEI and working with Democrats while at Harvard, report says

Pete Hegseth praised DEI and working with Democrats while at Harvard, report says

www.independent.co.uk

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Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · 1d

Whitehouse is the best interrogator on the panel: precise, unflappable, persistent.

AND he states the answer for the record she is unwilling to give, but also fails to deny.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse @whitehouse.senate.gov · 1d

I’m old enough to remember when Pam Bondi announced that she was going to release the Epstein files.

Because it was just a few months ago.

Reposted by Victor Caston

Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 2d

Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE

Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in

Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle

Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired

Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 2d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.

trib.al

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The Borowitz Report @borowitzreport.bsky.social · 1d

Though the committee did not bestow its prize on Trump, it did recognize him with a laser printed “certificate of participation.”

Trump Explodes with Rage after Gavin Newsom Wins Nobel Peace Prize

The committee recognized Trump with a "certificate of participation."

www.borowitzreport.com

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Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · 1d

The holes were for neon tubing?

Victor Caston @vcaston.bsky.social · 1d

Excellent! How about getting a version into the Daily?