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Brian Eason

@brianeason.bsky.social
2.2K followers 810 following 237 posts

Reporter/assistant editor at The Colorado Sun ☀️ I write about housing and public finance.

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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
DraftKings used AI to target problem gamblers, and suppressed internal efforts to use the same technology to protect people with addiction By strict financial logic, “the best investment would be a problem gambler.” www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/b...
nytimes.com
How DraftKings Uses A.I. to Target the Gamblers Likeliest to Lose (Gift Article)
Data science helps determine who receives betting incentives, but the company has resisted using similar technology to protect gamblers at risk of addiction.
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The Questionable Authority @questauthority.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Just went to buy @gilduran.com's "The Nerd Reich" on Google Books, and discovered that the enshittification is so thorough that it's not safe to do so - I was very close to buying one that's actually AI slop with an identical title and author name. This is utterly insane.
A screenshot of deceptively marketed books on Google books.
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Katie Bergh @katiebergh.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Another reason Congress must delay the SNAP cost shift: USDA won't publish draft regulations to implement it until December, which will then need to be finalized. But most states need to include a share of SNAP benefit costs in their next budget — they need those specifics ASAP.
Screenshot showing a notice of proposed rulemaking for "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Benefit Matching Requirements for State Governments" with an expected date of December 2026. https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202510&RIN=0584-AF21
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
In 2022, the Colorado state pension fund had its worst year since the Great Recession, losing $9.8 billion. But in the aftermath, PERA’s investment managers took home some of their largest bonuses ever. coloradosun.com/2026/06/08/c...
coloradosun.com
As retiree pensions shrank, Colorado PERA paid its staff millions of dollars in bonuses
Nearly half of PERA’s investment staff doubled their salaries through incentives, a Colorado Sun analysis found
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Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
New from 404 Media: we've obtained a copy of the Chinese-language realtime deepfake software powering scams around the world. For weeks I spoke to these scammers, sent them photos of my face to build a deepfake. We reveal how it works. Impacts WhatsApp, Teams, Zoom www.404media.co/hello-boss-i...
404media.co
‘HELLO BOSS’: Inside the Chinese Realtime Deepfake Software Powering Scams Around the World
404 Media has obtained a copy of ‘Haotian AI’, a popular piece of realtime deepfake software marketed to scammers. It can turn a fraudster's face into anyone else's on WhatsApp, Zoom, and Teams.
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
After years of playing defense against ballot measures that exacerbate the state's budget crisis, Colorado Democrats say they’ve lost patience with groups that use the initiative process as leverage to get what they want from the Capitol coloradosun.com/2026/05/07/r...
coloradosun.com
Road funding fight roils Colorado Capitol with days left in legislative session
Initiative 175 would expand funding for roads through a constitutional amendment. Top lawmakers are racing to pass a bill to neutralize it.
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The Colorado Sun ☀️ @coloradosun.com · 05/05/2026
Colorado state lawmakers abandon efforts to legalize smaller lots for single-family homes
coloradosun.com
Colorado state lawmakers abandon efforts to legalize smaller lots for single-family homes
The Senate’s Local Government and Housing Committee voted in April to kill the proposals amid fierce resistance from local officials and some neighborhood groups
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Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
"On Polymarket, the Journal found, 67% of profits go to just 0.1% of accounts. That means less than 2,000 accounts netted a total of nearly half a billion dollars."
wsj.com
Why Almost Everyone Loses—Except a Few Sharks—on Prediction Markets
A WSJ analysis shows a small number of accounts on Polymarket and Kalshi—often pros using data-driven algorithmic trading—take home most of the winnings.
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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
NEW: The Trump administration has cut more than 4,000 employees from some of the nation’s top law-enforcement agencies, even as it vowed to crack down on crime, according to ​records obtained by Reuters. www.reuters.com/world/trumps...
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Guardian US @us.theguardian.com · 20/04/2026
Emails released on Monday by California’s attorney general show Amazon allegedly colluding with other companies to raise the prices of pet treats, khaki pants, eyedrops and other products sold online
theguardian.com
Emails show Amazon colluding with other firms to raise prices, California authorities allege
The previously redacted messages were unveiled as part of an antitrust battle with California attorney general Rob Bonta
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
In their latest housing affordability push, Colorado lawmakers are trying to shrink the single-family home — in part because that’s still the only thing you can build on most of the state's residential land coloradosun.com/2026/04/20/c...
coloradosun.com
In new affordability push, Colorado Democrats look to shrink the single-family home
The state House earlier this year passed two bills designed to make it easier to build houses on smaller lots
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
BREAKING: The Supreme Court takes up two new cases for next term, including a case over Colorado’s exclusion of Catholic preschools from public funding. The case specifically raises a question the court has circled around for years: Whether 1990’s Employment Division v. Smith should be overruled.
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CERTIORARI GRANTED
ST. MARY CATHOLIC PARISH, ET AL. V. ROY, LISA, ET AL.
The petition for a writ of certiorari is granted limited to
Questions 1 and 2 presented by the petition.
BEAIRD, KENDRICK J. V. UNITED STATES
The motion of petitioner for leave to proceed in forma
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pauperis is granted. The petition for a writ of certiorari is granted limited to the following question: Whether Stinson v.
United States, 508 U. S. 36 (1993), still correctly states the
rule for the deference that courts must give the commentary to
the Sentencing Guidelines.
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Love spending my vacation doing laundry every night, good tip Wirecutter
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Richard M. Nixon @dicknixon.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
In brief, Orban and his backers identify, train, and connect far-right politicians around the world. They do this through direct government backing (the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, etc.), media expansion, etc. They have lost the public purse and the muscle to close private deals.
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Richard M. Nixon @dicknixon.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Orban's loss has financial and organizational consequences for the far right worldwide.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 11/04/2026
Two of the three major credit bureaus have sharply reduced the share of complaints they resolved in customers’ favor. In 2024, Experian’s relief rate was 20%. Last year, that figure fell to less than 1%.
propublica.org
Credit Bureaus Are Leaving More Mistakes on Frustrated Consumers’ Reports Under Trump’s CFPB
The credit bureaus have started dismissing a larger share of consumer complaints without help since the Trump administration began dismantling the CFPB.
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Jeremy Barofsky @jbarofsky.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
This article shows that Arizona has experienced a 47% decline in SNAP enrollment or about ~400,000 people losing critical support to buy groceries in the last year. This decline is not because of more jobs: the AZ economy (same as U.S. overall) has been treading water, unemployment has increased.
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Kyle Clark @kylec.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
A viewer named Debbie got the phrase “nut cuttin time down on the ranch” banned from my program. Debbie ruined it for everyone.
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
With cuts coming to Proposition 123, Colorado’s budget crisis is about to make its housing crisis worse coloradosun.com/2026/04/09/p...
coloradosun.com
With cuts coming to Proposition 123, Colorado’s budget crisis is about to make its housing crisis worse
Colorado’s state budget proposal would cut $130 million from Proposition 123, with most of the money coming from programs that develop affordable rental housing for low-income families
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Caitlyn Kim @caitlynkim.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
A growing number of CO Democrats are calling for the 25th Amendment to be invoked against President Trump or for Congress to come back & restrain Trump, after he said on social media "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" (Iran). #copolitics
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
really glad FRED lost, tbh, I would constantly be confusing it with the Fed's data site fred.stlouisfed.org
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Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies @harvard-jchs.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
The age of the median US home is a record 44 years, well past the age when the roof needs repairs and the furnace needs replacing. The extent of maintenance and modernization needs is vast, and the cost of doing it is going up fast. @wsj.com www.wsj.com/personal-fin...
wsj.com
The Typical U.S. Home Is 44 Years Old—And Needs Tons of Work
The costs of home maintenance and upgrades on America’s aging housing stock are vast and rising fast.
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
In two weeks, Colorado’s snowpack has plummeted into uncharted territory for this time of year. “We’re talking about being 20% below the previous low.” coloradosun.com/2026/03/31/c...
coloradosun.com
Colorado’s snowpack has likely peaked, but more snow in the forecast will offer relief
This winter is setting the stage for a historic drought year in Colorado with a plunging snowpack and spiking temperatures.
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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Trump is preparing to release a fiscal year 2027 budget plan on Friday that will frame the GOP's midterm election message around a massive defense buildup, partially paid for by cuts to domestic agencies, health-care and other services.
bloomberg.com
Trump Budget to Frame Midterms With Defense Boost, Domestic Cuts
President Donald Trump is preparing to release a fiscal year 2027 budget plan on Friday that will frame his party’s midterm election message around a massive defense buildup, partially paid for by cut...
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The Associated Press @apnews.com · 31/03/2026
BREAKING: A judge blocks a Trump administration order to end federal funding for NPR and PBS.
bit.ly
Judge blocks Trump order to end funding for National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service
A federal judge has agreed to permanently block the Trump administration from implementing a presidential directive to end federal funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service.U.S.
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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
After Trump’s inauguration, the Department of Justice turned down a record number of cases. We did the analysis. www.propublica.org/article/trum... @kbmorales.bsky.social @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social
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Jesse Aaron Paul @jesseapaul.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
BREAKING: Head of Colorado’s Medicaid program resigns as state Senate was preparing to take “no confidence” vote coloradosun.com/2026/03/30/m... #copolitics #coleg
coloradosun.com
Head of Colorado’s Medicaid program resigns as state Senate was preparing to take “no confidence” vote
Kim Bimestefer’s resignation comes as the state Medicaid program has dealt with billing mistakes and scrutiny over past spending
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The Colorado Sun ☀️ @coloradosun.com · 30/03/2026
Colorado’s highest court says officials should turn over child abuse hotline records requested by Colorado Sun, 9News in 2021
coloradosun.com
Colorado’s highest court says officials should turn over child abuse hotline records requested by Colorado Sun, 9News in 2021
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled on the five-year-old case Monday, saying the records would not violate children’s privacy
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
Matt’s (correctly) laying out the bleak trajectory we’re on, but I would also say this exact scenario is why I’m optimistic about the future of independent news. Ppl need to get information from somewhere, and the backlash to AI and corporate media is only going to grow as the product deteriorates
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Boo!-per Lund @cooperlund.online · 27/03/2026
I think that all teams should play on Opening Day, except for the Rockies who we need to keep hidden from the general public for as long as we can. They can't know our shame as baseball fans, they can't know the name Dick Monfort.
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Dan Immergluck @danimmergluck.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Good piece. And most strong-market cities losing more subsidized & unsubsidized low-cost rental housing then they're building. Relying on vacancy chains & modestly falling median rents won't deliver units *affordable* to those <50% AMI. Can be more cost-effective to use $$ to rehab vs. build new.
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Landmark addiction verdict against Meta and YouTube borrowed from the legal playbook used to fight Big Tobacco www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/t...
nytimes.com
Meta and YouTube Found Negligent in Landmark Social Media Addiction Case
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
“There is no piece of legislation that did this. These are just independent choices of the parole board. And it’s peaking now.” coloradosun.com/2026/03/19/c...
coloradosun.com
Governor’s office tells Colorado lawmakers the state needs to immediately open a new prison — possibly two
The news was met with shock from state lawmakers, who have been reeling in recent weeks as they cut Medicaid and other state services to address a $1 billion budget shortfall
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Jesse Aaron Paul @jesseapaul.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Colorado is losing 1 affordable housing unit for every 2 it builds. But the state keeps rejecting efforts to stop the bleeding. coloradosun.com/2026/03/23/c... via @brianeason.bsky.social #copolitics #coleg
coloradosun.com
Colorado is losing 1 affordable housing unit for every 2 it builds. But the state keeps rejecting efforts to stop the bleeding.
Gov. Jared Polis and state housing officials have prioritized new construction over preserving existing affordable rental housing.
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Ultimately, this is kinda what AI has been doing forever (stealing people’s work and monetizing it), it just feels more creepy and invasive. Then again, maybe maximum creepy and invasive is what it’s gonna take for policymakers to actually do something about it
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
New from me: The lack of funding for preservation is emblematic of a broader divide among housing advocates in Colorado. Gov. Polis has prioritized new supply, while non-profit providers say the state should focus on low-income households with the greatest need coloradosun.com/2026/03/23/c...
coloradosun.com
Colorado is losing 1 affordable housing unit for every 2 it builds. But the state keeps rejecting efforts to stop the bleeding.
Gov. Jared Polis and state housing officials have prioritized new construction over preserving existing affordable rental housing.
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Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · 15/03/2026
Washington Post executives were troubled to learn that a single story could cost...thousands of dollars. Thank god they weren't around during the WaPo's coverage of Watergate, CIA dark prisons, or any of the many other stories that helped changed the world. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/b...
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
“The organization concealed what it was unveiling because it knew what the reaction would be.”
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
An effective long term strategy for those who care about independent and credible news would be to fund nonprofits to enable nonpartisan journalism. We can see where CNN is going, we need more ProPublicias.
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
This is the pentagon press corp now: hand picked propagandists
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
What an insane story by @sethklamann.bsky.social and @samtabachnik.bsky.social This town (population 30) has a median income of $10,000 and its government collapsed and it’s running out of water and every time someone tries to help they get chased out of town www.denverpost.com/2026/03/08/h...
denverpost.com
In a tiny Colorado town, infighting dissolved the government. Now the water’s running out.
A tangled web of interpersonal feuds has left the town of Hartman with no clear path out of a situation that’s not covered by any state law.
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Jarring to see this level of thoughtful discourse and historical context on a TV news network. Why isn’t this man just shouting talking points like we do in the U.S.
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
“Ridiculous.” ”Strikingly disingenuous.” “Not a hard call.” @jesseapaul.bsky.social and @taydolven.bsky.social asked every Dem at the state Capitol if they thought Gov. Polis should reduce Tina Peters’ sentence coloradosun.com/2026/03/04/t...
coloradosun.com
Not a single Democrat in the Colorado legislature says Jared Polis should reduce Tina Peters’ sentence. He appears set to do it anyway.
The Colorado Sun asked every Democrat in the legislature Wednesday whether Polis should offer Peters clemency after the governor all but said on social media Tuesday that he plans to do so
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Stellbound: Stellraiser II @antlervel.vet · 25/02/2026
Incredible ad in my digest email from The Onion
Photo of a pan pizza. Text says “Worse than you remember, or your money back.” And the Pizza Hut logo
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Amid a state budget crisis, Colorado fiscal analysts say a Democratic plan to offer lucrative tax breaks to tech companies would take $106M away from the state‘s poorest households coloradosun.com/2026/02/23/p...
coloradosun.com
Proposed tax breaks for data centers would increase taxes for poor Coloradans, analysts say
Sponsors of industry-backed data center bill say they are amending it in ways that will change the fiscal projections
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
growing up in Dallas my dad would always spread butter on tortillas and eat them with a bit of salt, never understood where he got it until now
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 20/02/2026
Breaking News: The Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s sweeping tariffs on imports from nearly every U.S. trading partner. nyti.ms/46kvngJ
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The Colorado Sun ☀️ @coloradosun.com · 17/02/2026
New Mexico is making child care free for all working parents. Why isn’t Colorado?
coloradosun.com
New Mexico is making child care free for all working parents. Why isn’t Colorado?
Even before the universal policy, New Mexico had much more generous child care assistance than Colorado
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Brian Eason @brianeason.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
support your local AI slop
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