iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Shana Tovah! Will be making a cardamom apple challah tomorrow, but today the masses demanded garlic-mozzarella monkey bread.

A monkey bread cools in a Bundt pan on a wire rack.

A close-up of the texture of an herby, cheese-filled monkey bread.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

By 2:15 PM today, people started lining up in front of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse to get a seat for Luigi Mangione’s courtroom appearance tomorrow. The blue tents are paid line-sitters who apparently make about $25/hr.

A view of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse from across the street, where a line has formed.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Got to screen print a bunch of Jews For Zohran swag ahead of their 200-person JVP/JFREJ canvass in Brooklyn!

Three t-shirts screen-printed with “NYC Jews For Zohran” in the shape of a Z surrounded by the text, “CHILDCARE FOR ALL — FAST FREE BUSES — FREEZE THE RENT”

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

I’m assuming it was she who blocked you. The Jenkins post you’d quoted:

Bluesky user Patrick Hruby asks, “What disagreements, exactly, was he bridging via his work and words?”

Sally Jenkins replies via quote post, “He argued with civility. It’s a start.”

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

Happy Sunday from our local elementary school garden where the kids and their grown-ups are training trellis vines, replanting strawberries, and cleaning up berries before the school year starts next week.

A pile of bright red berries sit in a pile in a pink wheelbarrow.

A small, brave vine clings tenaciously to a wooden trellis.

A four-year-old with incredible hair in a braid that flows from the back of a Brooklyn Cyclones hat moves soil with a trowel into a strawberry bed.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

Shabbat Shalom from Bristol, Maine.

The sun sets pinkily and orangily over a Maine harbor full of boats.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

The week he resigned, Cuomo’s net favorability rating in New York City was only down to -3. It’s one reason I was concerned about him running for Mayor: it was actually upstate, not NYC, that pushed him out. Turns out I didn’t need to worry. patch.com/new-york/was...

A news article excerpt which reads,

“Cuomo has an underwater favorability rating with City voters, 37-54%, and an even worse 29-61% favorability rating with statewide voters, the worst ever favorability rating for Cuomo in a Siena poll. In fact, among Democrats statewide, Cuomo’s favorability rating is 36-56%, down from 51-39% in March," Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

Protesters opposing the genocide in Gaza have completely shut down traffic at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza.

Protesters holding banners block traffic at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza.

Protesters use bicycles to stop traffic from entering Grand Army Plaza loop.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

This is where the article gets particularly confusing, claiming progressives have an opinion about women getting laid ("good for them") but that they are "completely silent on the subject of men getting laid." If "good for them" counts as an opinion, it's one progressives are agendered about!

An article excerpt which reads, "And where is the counter-narrative? The progressive left seemingly has no opinion on men getting laid. It has opinions on everything else. It has opinions on women getting laid (good for them), it has opinions on toxic masculinity (bad) and it has opinions on gender equality (there should be more of it). But it is completely silent on the subject of men getting laid - which, generally speaking, they are very interested in doing, and will continue to be interested in regardless of whether progressives want to talk about it."

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Parents and brother coming for Shabbat means it’s time for the CHALLAH MEGACHONK! Great excuse to bust out a six-strand challah, though next time I’d probably start in the middle and flip so the ends got more definition. Shabbat Shalom!

A photo of a six-strand poppyseed challah cooling on a piece of parchment paper.

A closeup of a freshly baked six-strand poppyseed challah.

Six strands of challah dough at the beginning of the braiding process sit on parchment paper on a baking tray.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 28/07/2025

say what you will but atheists have incredible core strength

Ricky Gervais, "atheist" written across his chest, has his arms wrapped around an upright microphone stand and is apparently holding his body perpendicular to the ground.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

A busy morning just means the planned challah French toast is for dinner instead.

Challah French toast cooks in an electric skillet.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

I’ve been away for the past couple Fridays and so it’s been three weeks some I got to bake a challah! Attempting an olive-oil variation today. Shabbat Shalom!

A braided loaf of challah cools in a rack.

A closeup of a poppyseed challah’s braided top.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

Conference presentation pro tip: depending on the venue, there’s a very good chance the entire bottom third of your presentation will be obscured to a significant chunk of your audience. This is an extreme example, but that low-slide real estate is the least valuable. Design your deck accordingly.

A photograph of a presentation at a political conference. The entire bottom third of the projection screen is obscured by the heads of attendees close to the screen.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

It’s the anti-Zohran message testing where this apparently Adams-aligned pollster starts getting ugly. In addition to tired attacks about Israel and police funding, Adams or one of his allies wants to test out a new low: trying to thinly disguise transphobia as a budget issue.

“ Zohran Mamdani plans on starting hundreds of new city programs, such as $65 million towards gender-affirming care for minors, that are unproven to alleviate New Yorkers financial burdens that could lead to higher taxes and adding another $70 billion to the city debt to pay for these programs.”

“Zohran Mamdani has a long record criticizing Israel for committing apartheid and genocide, stated he would arrest the Israeli Prime Minister if he steps foot in New York, and has even declined to condemn antisematic slogans and phrases that are calls to violence towards Jewish
New Yorkers.”

“ Zohran Mamdani has proposed major cuts in policing and to replace uniformed officers with unarmed civilians to answer
911 calls in the most dangerous neighborhoods.”

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Somehow I ended up on a survey polling list for either the Adams campaign or one of their allies. Today I got a messaging poll. Here’s what they’re testing. First, the pro-Adams messages, which focus on his bringing money into the city:

Text which reads, “ Eric Adams has made it a priority to work closely with state and federal administrations to ensure that New York City is provided with the necessary resources to improve necessary infrastructure and programs.”

“ Eric Adams has secured a record $26 billion to go
towards affordable housing for the next 10 years and over 100,000 housing units have been built since he took office.”

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

New Yorkers, obviously vote for Zohran in the November election. But. If you are asked to participate in a political poll in early September, please, please say you intend to vote for Curtis Sliwa. It will be *so* funny if Cuomo has to drop out because he's polling behind the beret guy.

An excerpt from a New York Times article. The following text is highlighted:

"If the polls show that he is not the highest-ranked challenger to Mr. Mamdani by early September, he will pledge to drop out of the race"

The full text reads,

"The decision by Mr. Cuomo, who had been questioning whether to run after his crushing Democratic primary defeat by Mr. Mamdani, a state assemblyman and a democratic socialist, will be announced in a video that is expected to be released this week, according to three people familiar with his decision.

If the polls show that he is not the highest-ranked challenger to Mr. Mamdani by early September, he will pledge to drop out of the race, the people said. He will encourage the other challengers — Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent; Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee; and Jim Walden, an independent — to do the same. (The plan was hatched by Mr. Walden.)"

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

"As a Senator who just won on the same ballot as Donald Trump" is a real weird way of saying, "as a candidate who got fewer votes than Trump *or* Harris."

The total votes for Trump, Harris, and Slotkin on in the 2024 general election as a percentage of the total votes cast (5.7 million).

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

so is he wrist-deep in the other guy's belly button or

A weird AI illustration of two identical heavy-set shirtless bearded men in blue shorts. One's arm extends to the other's abdomen where his hand below the wrist is missing, apparently inside the other man.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

This is huge. Mamdani did well in the parts of Harlem in Espaillat’s District, but Cuomo carried a big chunk of it, and Espaillat had endorsed Cuomo. Moving this chit is a huge blow to both Cuomo and Adams (whom Espaillat endorsed in 2021). I’m guessing this augurs a Jeffries endorsement next week.

A map of the first-round vote share from the June 2025 Mayoral primary in Harlem and the South Bronx with a crude marking of Espaillat’s District.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

as though people in the west have not snacked upon many a baby

A bag of Bamba peanut butter puffs (made from human babies? Doesn’t say they’re not anywhere on the bag).

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

your replies every time I see you post about the adoption/foster system in this country

A three-panel meme in which a cartoon penguin sitting at an office desk says, "nine one one what is your emergency," "what do you mean," "that's illegal people can't do that"

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Also, US manufacturing output is way up over the past couple of decades -- efficiency has also just gone way, way up too. But we've built and sustained a socioeconomic system where getting more done with less work can be a *bad thing* for workers and local economies.

A chart of US manufacturing output in current dollars from 1997 ($1.4 trillion) to 2021 ($2.5 trillion).

Source: https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/usa/united-states/manufacturing-output

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

Looking for help from Jewish baking Bluesky! A friend of mine just found out that their carbophile four-year-old has celiac—who has an outstanding gluten-free challah recipe I can use to make one for them?

A closeup photo of a loaf of challah with poppy seeds.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

wow, I hadn’t known about that so I looked it up and… Kinkade’s Wikipedia article is quite a journey

An excerpt from the Wikipedia article about Thomas Kinkade which reads,

The [LA] Times further reported that he openly fondled a woman's breasts at a South Bend, Indiana, sales event, and alleged his proclivity for ritual territory marking by urination, once relieving himself on a Winnie the Pooh figure at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim while saying, "This one's for you, Walt."

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

The unofficial final NYC Mayoral tally is in, and the Cuomo camp can’t be happy. In round 1, the Mamdani/Cuomo ratio is about 55:45. Sustaining that would have been enough to win. But round 2 vote transfers break 2:1 in Mamdani’s favor. People don’t just dislike Cuomo, they actively like Mamdani.

Table of NYC mayoral results showing Mamdani crushing Cuomo, who should retire from politics. Table available at https://enr.boenyc.gov/rcv/026916_1.html

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

saving this to my “jumpscares” folder

An unnerving, tightly cropped photo of Mark Zuckerberg’s face.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Wishing you breath and peace and space and clarity as we go into the weekend. Shabbat Shalom, y’all.

A chonky challah cools on two makeshift wire racks on a countertop.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Adams announcing his reelection campaign now. Zohran is going to obliterate this dude. I cannot wait for the debates. Watch live: www.c-span.org/event/news-c...

Eric Adams announcing his doomed reelection campaign

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Z O H M E N T U M www.yahoo.com/news/cuomo-m...

An excerpt from a news article which reads,

In a final survey of the race from Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill, Cuomo led Mamdani 35 percent to 32 percent overall, within the poll’s margin of error. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander came in at 13 percent, followed by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams at 8 percent and former Comptroller Scott Stringer at 3 percent. Four percent of voters were undecided.

But the survey also allowed respondents to rank their top choices, as the primary uses ranked choice voting. In the first round, Cuomo led Mamdani 36 percent to 34 percent. In the eighth round of voting, once all the other candidates were eliminated, Mamdani came out on top, beating Cuomo 52 percent to 48 percent.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

After his wrongful arrest by ICE, @bradlander.bsky.social is free and speaking with supporters at Foley Square.

Brad Lander speaks to a large crowd of supporters at Foley Square.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

There are some real gems in this feed.

A post from @opheliasblue.bsky.social linking to a thread from The New Yorker reads, “ An MS-13 leader knew key details of a secret deal that his gang allegedly made with the Salvadoran President—then the White House put him on a flight to El Salvador. Is the Trump Administration helping sweep away the case?”

@blue-resistance.bsky.social quote-posts and says, “ Instead of just pointing fingers, let’s mobilize! We need to demand accountability and transparency. Silence isn’t an option—action is! #blueresistance”

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Absolutely! I use this recipe but swap in bread flour (my family likes a loaf with more pull to it) and bake at 360. I proof at 100 degrees and after the preferment I mix things in a stand mixer for 2 minutes on low, then 10 on medium-high. Was definitely under-kneading in my first few attempts.

A detailed recipe for “basic challah dough.” If you need the full recipe and can’t read the image, respond to this post and I’ll type it all out.

A recipe for braided challah, continued.

The cover of a cookbook called “THE BIG BOOK OF BREAD: 125+ Recipes For Every Baker” by the King Arthur Baking Company.

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Benjamin Lowe @benjaminlowe.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Last leavened bake for ten days and last challah for two weeks (but also not the last thing I’m baking tonight)! Shabbat Shalom and Chag Pesach Sameach!

A closeup of a loaf of challah cooling on a rack.

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