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Aaron Berdofe

@aaronberdofe.bsky.social
276 followers 306 following 1.9K posts

Welcome to my personal journal. It’s mostly about Swampscott. I’m sorry if you came here for something else.

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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 11h
Legal advice is 👌 though.
Screenshot of a question and response from the America.gov website 

Can the president set tariffs or is that illegal?
Congress holds the constitutional power to impose tariffs. The President may set or change tariffs only when a statute Congress passed allows it, and only under that law's conditions. It is not automatically illegal for a President to impose tariffs, and it is not unlimited.
Who has the power
• The Constitution gives Congress power to
"lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises" and to "regulate Commerce with foreign Nations."
Congressional Research Service
• The President has no inherent peacetime power to impose tariffs. Authority must come from Congress.
Sunreme Court 1 parnina Resnurces Ine 1Screenshot of a question and answer from the America.gov website:

Can the president force states to change how they do elections?
No. The President cannot unilaterally force states to change how they run elections.
Who sets election rules
• States have the main authority over "Times, Places and Manner" of congressional elections. Elections Clause, Art. 1, $ 47
• Congress may pass laws that make or change those rules for federal elections. Examples include the National Voter Registration Act 7 and the Help America Vote Act r.
• For presidential elections, each state legislature directs how electors are appointed.
Congress sets the nationwide Election
Day. CRS 7
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 15h
Iowans are in two camps right now: Hawkeye fans and non-college sports people: “What a moron!! This guy didn’t even try to Google it?!” Iowa State fans: “This is a reasonable mistake that people make all the time…”
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Great symposium today from @abundanthousingma.org which brought together housing advocates across the state to share and collaborate on the shared goal of bringing more housing to Massachusetts. Excellent conversation between @jessekb.bsky.social and @jamellebouie.net too. @berkie1.bsky.social
Photo of Jesse Kanson-Benanav and Jamelle Bouie discussing housing. Photo of Lt Governor Kim Driscoll discussing the need for housing in the state.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Apropos of nothing I’m coming from a conference where the current DOGE administrator (and now “Chief product officer”) told everyone that AI will be what radically transforms the US healthcare system. Maybe she’ll put Big Balls on it.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I may have tipped them off. swampscotttides.org/featured/rec...
swampscotttides.org
Records Show Swampscott Police Lack Flock-Specific Policy Amid Misuse Investigation - Swampscott Tides
As a Swampscott police officer remains on administrative leave amid an investigation into potential misuse of Lynn’s Flock license-plate reader system, it has become clear that the Swampscott Police D...
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Activism is being prepared to take advantage of opportunities, any opportunity, to advance your cause. Anyone is welcome to come along with you, but you are leading and stay true to the cause.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Tired: trying to impress people with your Claude output. Wired: shaming people for producing unreadable Claude output and not taking the time to edit it and make it something people can actually understand.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
It’s really just one select board member who has concerns…and it’s 4 units with one subsidized one. 4 units within walkable distance to a pizza shop, a Mexican restaurant, a daycare, a hot yoga studio, and next door to a large park. swampscotttides.org/featured/sel...
swampscotttides.org
Select Board Weighs Whether to Push Back on Lodge Road Development - Swampscott Tides
A developer is seeking to develop a Lodge Road property that was previously deemed unsuitable for construction, prompting the Select Board to question whether it has the ability — and...
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Should have seen the denial of basic flock audit logs coming, but nice to get confirmation they never put a specific policy in place pertaining to the Lynn system they had access to. I suspect most police departments are a little fast and loose with policies around access to sensitive info.
Screenshot of an email:

RE: Audit records
Good afternoon,
The Swampscott Police Department does not have a Flock specific policy. Attached is our Automated license plate reader policy.
The department owns one ALPR system (cruiser mounted) however it has not functioned in approximately five years. Subsequently, it is not installed on anything currently and is in storage.
Regarding your Flock specific information request, under M.G.L. c.4 s.7(26)(f) materials pertaining to on-going and active investigations, it cannot be released.
Regards,
Lt. Michael J. Frayler
Administrative Lieutenant
Video/Records Unit
Firearms Licensing/Firearms & Taser Instructor/ Armorer
Fleet Management
Swampscott Police Department
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Reposted by Aaron Berdofe
NBC10 Boston @nbcboston.com · 23/09/2026
Massachusetts' governor and lieutenant governor are supporting a Nov. ballot question that would allow for single-family homes to be built on smaller lots to help with housing affordability. on.nbcboston.com/BoGWctv
on.nbcboston.com
Mass. starter-home proposal gets key Beacon Hill endorsements
Massachusetts' governor and lieutenant governor are supporting a Nov. ballot question that would allow for single-family homes to be built on smaller lots to help with housing affordability.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I love it when NIMBYs treat attempts at transit-oriented development like their house is in some ecological preserve next to the commuter rail station.
A screenshot of a digital flyer: 

SAVE OUR STREETS!
SWAMPSCOTT RAILROAD AREA: SMART GROWTH ZONING DISTRICT
ZONING IS TRYING TO BE CHANGED SO THAT MORE HOUSING CAN BE BUILT
STAND UP AGAINST THIS AT THE MEETINGS AND MANY OTHER NEW BUILDING UNITS IN SWAMPSCOTT-SAVE OUR TOWN!
MEETINGS SELECT BOARD
9/23
PLANNING BOARD
10/6
SPECIAL MEETING ABOUT
PROPOSED ZONING
CHANGES
10/19
PLANNING BOARD MEETING
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Unsurprisingly I believe most research points out that NIMBYism (aka xenophobia) in more white and more affluent areas of a metropolitan area are generally what cause the gentrification of less-affluent and more culturally interesting neighborhoods.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Suddenly more curious for what my request for flock audit logs from the Swampscott police department will turn up…
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
This is always an interesting topic to me and why I’ve been mostly hands-off in pushing for housing for the Hawthorne location, because if the private course takes up 7% of Swampscott’s land, the FEMA flood risk zones apply to…well much more than that.
Screenshot of a FEMA flood map showing the entire Swampscott coast, maybe 20% of the entire land area of the town, eyeballing it, is in either the AE or VE areas.
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shaun @shaunvids.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
the republicans are wide open on several fronts, historically unpopular president, unpopular war, record high gas. any dem throwing trans people under the bus at this moment is doing it because they want to. not like they need to, do they. even if it worked as a vote winner, which it doesn't
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Reposted by Aaron Berdofe
Faine Greenwood @faineg.com · 18/09/2026
Why talk about how nuts the AI rationalist sex cult is, and not just focus on the (very real) risks and harms of AI? Well, when we're discussing "who should get to regulate AI, and how," I think it's VERY relevant to talk about the antisocial, unsettling ways many people running US AI think.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I don’t get emotional about celebrity deaths, but this one absolutely breaks my heart. Duncan Sheik has been my favorite and most influential artist on my own music since I heard In the Absence of the Sun on The Saint soundtrack as a teenager. abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/...
abcnews.com
Duncan Sheik, Tony Award-winning composer, dies at 56
Duncan Sheik, the Tony Award-winning composer behind "Spring Awakening" and more, has died, according to his Instagram. He was 56.
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Jason Kint @kint.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Eye popping. Court just unsealed Summary Judgment motions in New York Times v OpenAI / Microsoft. Easy to see why the AI companies had so many redactions (pink). Their own people wrote the lede for NYT, the "largest theft of labor in human history"... "more and more substitutive..." /1
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I’ve never thought the “intern” analogy ever fit LLMs. I think a better one is a consultant who can sure make a slide deck or report look pretty, but doesn’t actually understand the contents or implications of their output and doesn’t care because they’ll be moved on to the next thing soon.
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Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Maybe the most important political story of our time. People just want the bullshit to stop.
gizmodo.com
71% of Americans Say They're Completely Exhausted
A CDC report shows that people are not feeling relaxed and restful in the United States.
1401267106691
Reposted by Aaron Berdofe
UAINE @mahtowin1.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Inside North America’s Largest Indigenous-Led Housing Development in Vancouver. The vision underpinning the architecture of Sen̓áḵw. thetyee.ca/News/2026/09...
thetyee.ca
Inside North America's Largest Indigenous-Led Housing Development | The Tyee
The vision underpinning the architecture of Sen̓áḵw.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Happy to see the new property owner is moving quickly. swampscotttides.org/top-story/pl...
swampscotttides.org
Planning Board Hears Plans for 140-Unit Glover Residences, Historic House Preservation - Swampscott Tides
Attorney Gerry D’Ambrosio, counsel for the Glover Residences project, presented revised plans for the 140-unit development to the Planning Board Monday, confirming that the historic Glover House will ...
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I spent over a minute scrolling on LinkedIn the other day, and I honestly don’t even know what I read on that site. There were words, yes, but none of them seemed to fit together very well.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Sorry for the bad picture but all the houses on this street in Swampscott have these S.O.S (save out street) signs because of a proposed 5 unit condo and I can’t stop laughing at them.
A blurry photo of a yard sign with “S.O.S.” In bright red letters (Save or Street in blue above it), and “no condos on our street” below it.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Sorry for the bad picture but all the houses on this street in Swampscott have these S.O.S (save out street) signs because of a proposed 5 unit condo and I can’t stop laughing at them.
A blurry photo of a yard sign with “S.O.S.” In bright red letters (Save or Street in blue above it), and “no condos on our street” below it.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
People talk a lot about a “liberal bubble” but nothing is more insular than the anti-Trump Republicans from Massachusetts who think they’ll win their party back from MAGA soon. Like, go to New Hampshire, my dudes (it’s all dudes) for a field trip.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I honestly have no idea how many applications we are going to get this year. I keep hearing about more things brewing in the background from different entities. swampscotttides.org/news/swampsc...
swampscotttides.org
Swampscott Seeks CPA Project Proposals by Oct. 9 - Swampscott Tides
The Swampscott Community Preservation Committee is seeking Community Preservation Act (CPA) applications by October 9. The Community Preservation Act is a state law that helps communities preserve ope...
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Requested all audit logs for Flock, Axon, and any other surveillance tool available to the Swampscott PD this morning so we’ll see how that goes…
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
I think it’s cool that they are able to reuse most of the dirt on-site for this project because I’m real cool like that. Anyway, more housing in Swampscott on the way! swampscotttides.org/top-story/se...
swampscotttides.org
Select Board Approves Earth Removal Permit for New Vinnin Square Apartments - Swampscott Tides
The Select Board approved an earth removal permit for Swampscott Multi Owner LLC’s development in Vinnin Square. The Earth Removal Advisory Committee reviewed the application in July. The Select Board...
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Except YOU. YOU’RE special, you independent thinker you. You definitely don’t have to worry about this because your mind is sooo strong.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
swampscotttides.org/featured/swa...
swampscotttides.org
Swampscott’s Veterans Crossing Selected for State Housing Funding - Swampscott Tides
Gov. Maura Healey has selected Swampscott’s Veterans Crossing as one of the housing developments across the Commonwealth to receive nearly $278 million in state and federal financing and tax credits.....
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
My least popular and most correct opinion is that fewer people should own dogs. To be clear: this is because the people cannot handle owning dogs. The dogs are fine. We should have fewer Home Depots too but that’s because the owner is a POS.
Screenshot of a post. 

Boston's Wicked North Shore
7h •
**DELAYED POST**
Dog attack -
Home Depot - Salem, Massachusetts
A child was attacked by a dog inside the Home Depot store off of Highland Ave.
Child transported to Salem Hospital with bite wounds on face and nose.
Incident occurred shortly before 7 this evening.
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Reposted by Aaron Berdofe
Andrew Quemere @andrewqmr.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
VERY COOL: If your community has Flock cameras, then cops from other jurisdictions can use them to stalk you. “A Swampscott police officer has been placed on administrative leave after the department was notified of concerns about potential misuse of Lynn’s Flock license-plate reader system.”
swampscotttides.org
Swampscott Officer on Paid Leave as Department Investigates Flock System Use - Swampscott Tides
A Swampscott police officer has been placed on administrative leave after the department was notified of concerns about potential misuse of Lynn’s Flock license-plate reader system. The Swampscott Pol...
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
One of the “fun” things about living in a geographically small town is when it is made public a cop did something bad, a number of people will immediately think of one specific individual who they are pretty sure is the one that did it…and they’re probably right.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Wearables are amazingly useful for narrowly scoped clinical trials and people with specific health conditions, but have little value to the general public. People have been saying they are the next big thing for over a decade now.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Honestly curious if the Swampscott PD will put up a social media post about this alongside their “we only do amazing things” posts.
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Swampscott Racial Justice Action Group @swampacottrjag.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Swampscott does not have any Flock cameras in town, but apparently that doesn’t stop its police officers from abusing the access to Lynn cameras that they do have. #fuckflock itemlive.com/2026/09/04/s...
itemlive.com
Swampscott cop put on leave following Flock investigation
SWAMPSCOTT — A Swampscott Police officer has been placed on paid administrative leave after the department was notified of concerns involving possible misuse of Lynn’s Flock license-plate reader syste...
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Very interested in the Markey/Koh voters out there in the MA 6th and what their main reasons for voting for each candidate were.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
NIMBY public comments are at the same intellectual level as a NYT “Trump voter in a diner” series. Change my mind.
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ceej @ceej.online · 03/09/2026
I do think “every rich person went insane during covid because it was the first time they’ve been inconvenienced in decades” felt a little reductive at first but damn if isn’t more and more compelling as the years drag on
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
No matter how much people want to frame this race as a “generational divide” or whatever, Moulton was one of the very few possible candidates that had a magically ability to make it not about that. Even the many people who have issues with Markey’s age (me included!) were not sold on Moulton.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
I believe this is developer number 3 now… Guessing they’ll have to ditch the pool because locals will complain that more parking is needed onsite. itemlive.com/2026/09/01/n...
itemlive.com
National Development backs out of Glover project, new developer steps in
SWAMPSCOTT — A new developer has taken over plans to redevelop the historic Glover estate, replacing National Development with a proposal for 140 apartments that, at least for now, keeps… Related post...
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Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 02/09/2026
And the gap widens. Early versions of this race in polls were relatively close. Massachusetts is sending a strong message to Democrats that abandon trans people.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Still amazes me that no New England coffee shop near the coast has thought of naming themselves Sea Foam. This one’s for free.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Exciting Swampscott housing news: the Pine St veterans housing project has officially been funded! Announcement to come shortly.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Again, my unsolicited advice for local elected officials is to not go spouting off your very probable bigotry in the comment section of Facebook. Here is a newly elected Swampscott Select Board member:
Screenshot of a Facebook comment

Wayne Spritz
Not for Belsito in a million years. Not in this lifetime nor in the next. She belongs nowhere near the gears of power. She runs in DSA adjacent circles and exploits her Arab roots to push anti-Israel propaganda. Her exploitation for Free Palestine and the "No AIPAC money" is code for not taking any Jewish money.
And Bob Kraft's mission to support
Jewish causes over decades is applauded.
Meanwhile Belsito's BS leads to whack jobs showing up at Porch fest with a bullhorn to taunt Dan Koh? The hijacking of the far left by the Free Palestine crowd is a danger to the entirety of the Anti trump movement. To me Belsito, is the Left's version of Q-Anon.
3h
Like
Reply
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
This is very Minnesota.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I asked Claude to generate a bio for an upcoming conference based on a web search and now I’m tempted to spend the rest of the day convincing it that I am all of these “unrelated persons”.
Screenshot of a Claude chat:

Searched the web
That search didn't turn up anything relevant to you - no results actually mention "Aaron
Berdofe." Let me search more directly.
Searched the web
I found nothing that's actually you - every result is an unrelated person (a 16th-century kabbalist, a Yiddish theater star, a bodybuilder/actor, etc.), and none mention Zus Health, health informatics, or FHIR/HEDIS work.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Tonight I was told by another person of color that they don’t feel welcomed or safe in Swampscott. They prefer to go to Salem to do things. Wasn’t the first. Won’t be the last. Continuously working and hoping for change.
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Aaron Berdofe @aaronberdofe.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Chat, is it bad that this street (and a number of others in Swampscott) always flood when there is moderate (0.1 - 0.3”/hr) rain? The photos were taken about 1.5 hours after the rain stopped Maybe we need infrastructure improvements? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Photo of a large wagoneer SUV plowing through water on Puritan Rd in Swampscott after a rain. The spray is twice as tall as the vehicle. Photo of a jeep plowing through water on Puritan rd in Swampscott. The spray is bigger than the size of the vehicle. Screenshot of precip.ai showing the last rain event in Swampscott was 0.48” over 4 hours from 11-3pm on August 23. This was the total for the past 24 hours too. The photos were taken around 4:30pm.
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