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Ben Spackman

@bspackman.bsky.social
226 followers 72 following 215 posts

PhD, American Religious History, minor Reformation+ history of science; MA/PhD work in Semitics. Apple fan, LDS, francophile, bibliophile, gourmand, cyclist, husband. Ramblings at BenSpackman.com

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Reposted by Ben Spackman
Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
From Rasmus Jarlov, chair of Denmark’s Defence Committee:
Map showing Cambodia v Armenia battleground
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Chris Murphy @chrismurphyct.bsky.social · 21/09/2025
We are fast becoming a banana republic, with two standards of justice. If you oppose the leader, you go to jail just for speech. If you're a loyalist, you get immunity for your crimes. That's what happens in Iran - not the United States. This is a decision moment for America.
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Sharon 🪳🌹 @sharonk.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
korean reporting is nightmarish on the conditions Korean workers were contained in
Their waists and hands were tied together, forcing them to bend down and lick water to drink. The unscreened bathrooms contained only a single sheet to cover their lower bodies. Sunlight barely penetrated through a fist-sized hole, and they were only allowed access to the small yard for two hours. Detained by US immigration authorities for eight days, the workers and their families expressed shock, describing human rights violations and absurdities they could not have imagined as ordinary Koreans living in 2025.
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Alessandro Rigolon @alerigolon.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but nobody goes to the park to be chased and almost attacked by your off-leash dog. I’m so so tired of this. It’s out of control in SLC
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Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
“Trump’s decision on the Rhode Island wind farm…undermines what he claims to be his most important goals: making America strong and energy-independent while lowering the cost of living and helping the forgotten working class.” www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-econ...
thebulwark.com
The Real Reason Trump Is a Threat to the Economy
It’s not just the agenda. It’s also the shambolic, vibes-based way he’s pursuing it.
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Starfire’s Deranged Neocon Foreign Policy Podcast @irhottakes.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
If he can do the first three things without me having broken the law, he already took away my freedom.
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
I think the disconnect we’re seeing online is between pundits who are imagining a Charlie Kirk in their heads and professors who have lived for a decade with the (often literal) targets he and his anti-free speech organization placed on their backs.
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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
“.. I can’t remember anyone ever telling me we can’t say anything critical about a civilian like this. He was not in our chain of command or anything,” the officer said. @nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
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Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Well said.
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Ben Spackman @bspackman.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
If you're a runner/cyclist, this is nice. Make your workout on your iPhone, not your Apple Watch. www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/09/appl...
dcrainmaker.com
Apple's Secret New Custom Workout Builder in iOS26/WatchOS26: Hands-on
 Apple has secretly included a nice feature for endurance athletes in iOS 26: The ability to create full structured workouts. Now what’s interesting about this is the fact that it wasn’t mentioned an...
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Peter Sagal @petersagal.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Some pockets near Boston: KTonic Demon Hunters
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Gabrielle A. Perry, MPH @geauxgabrielle.blacksky.app · 12/09/2025
JUST IN: All job sectors except healthcare are down. We are in a “no hire” economy. And unemployment for young people just hit 10%. - Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Nicely done, America
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Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Decrying violence against political opponents rings a bit hollow when you pull Secret Service protection from your political opponents.
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Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 10/09/2025
GOOD NEWS: Despite RFK Jr saying he would cancel $500 million in mRNA research, the House Committee on Appropriations has passed a spending package, that includes $1.1 billion for “advanced research and development” at BARDA, which includes research on mRNA vaccines.
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Matthew Downhour @matthewdownhour.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
It is weird that the assassination of essentially a celebrity influencer is a bigger deal than the shooting of two top state legislators + their spouses
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Ben Spackman @bspackman.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Meanwhile a few miles away from the Charlie Kirk shooting, byu is hosting a peacemakers conference. Patrick Mason is speaking.
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Kamala Harris @kamalaharris.com · 10/09/2025
I am deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah. Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family. Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence.
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The Lincoln Project @lincolnproject.us · 10/09/2025
Political violence from any party or any ideology is a direct assault on the foundations of democracy and the rule of law; it seeks not to persuade but to intimidate, not to debate but to destroy.
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Governor Gavin Newsom @governor.ca.gov · 10/09/2025
The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
The White House Press Secretary, the official spokesperson for the Trump administration, told reporters in an official briefing that the president wants to invade "every Democrat-run city" with troops. Any media still pretending that this is about "crime" is making a conscious choice to lie to you.
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Ben Spackman @bspackman.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Again, mercy and winks and loopholes for the super-rich and white-collar crime.
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Senator Mark Warner @markwarner.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
If these allegations are true, the FBI is being weaponized for political retribution, exactly as we warned. Agents must be able to do their jobs without fear of retaliation, or Americans will pay the price with our security and safety.
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The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 10/09/2025
Breaking news: Former acting FBI director Brian Driscoll and two other former senior FBI officials are suing Director Kash Patel, alleging they were ultimately fired for unlawful and politically-motivated reasons.
wapo.st
FBI leaders allege in lawsuit they were unlawfully fired over political loyalty
The former acting director alleges a Trump administration official asked a series of questions, including: “Who did you vote for?” “When did you start supporting President Trump?” and “Have you voted for a Democrat in the last five elections?”
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The Lincoln Project @lincolnproject.us · 10/09/2025
Trump is threatening to sue Lincoln Project, again – this time because we’re telling the world about Trump’s close & personal relationship w/ the pedophile & convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Find LP's response here: lincolnproject.us/lincoln-project-n…
lincolnproject.us
Lincoln Project Not Afraid Of Trump Threats
Threat proves Trump’s scared his MAGA base will bail on him
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The Lincoln Project @lincolnproject.us · 09/09/2025
Every House Rules Republican just voted to block the Epstein Files Transparency Act from advancing.
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Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
Holy crap. Postal traffic to U.S. drops over 80% after trade exemption rule ends, U.N. agency says www.npr.org/2025/09/07/n...
npr.org
Postal traffic to U.S. drops over 80% after trade exemption rule ends, U.N. agency says
The de minimis rule that allowed small packages worth less than $800 to be exempt from tariffs ended on Aug. 29.
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🎃Darin S Pumpkins🎃 @darinself.com · 09/09/2025
Them: but what about Bill Cli All of us:
media.tenor.com
a man in a suit and tie with glasses says yes
ALT: a man in a suit and tie with glasses says yes
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
I understand MAGA is insisting the signature isn't Trump's but the WSJ piece nicely shows how the signature matches other letters he signed.
Three images of Trump's signature, one from the Epstein letter and two more from verified letters he sent others
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Dr. Jack Brown @drjackbrown.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
Nothing says, "Hey international companies, bring your manufacturing to the US" like arresting 475 workers at a Hyundai (70% of whom are South Korean).
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Department of Angela @angelaisms.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
“I firebombed my neighbor’s house for the lulz. And it sure was funny watching them panic! Serves them right for owning a pink car. But some of the flaming debris landed on my roof and now my house is on fire and I’m scared. Help!”
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Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
Darkly amusing that the president who pardoned Ross Ulbricht also says illicit drugs are such a threat to national security that he can use the military to assassinate suspected drug dealers with no due process.
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Popehat @kenwhite.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
They turned the Rose Garden into the garden dining patio at the Fort Wayne Marriott
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Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan.bsky.social · 06/09/2025
The president of the United States just declared war, actual military war, not a metaphorical one, on a major American city, and one governed by his political opponents. In any other period, this would be impeachment-worthy.
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Ben Spackman @bspackman.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
As a runner with an Apple Watch, this might induce me to actually use the Strava app when I run. But it won’t do downhill segments?! press.strava.com/articles/str...
press.strava.com
Strava Launches Redesigned Apple Watch App, Now with Live Segments
Strava launches redesigned Apple Watch App
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Philip Bump @pbump.com · 04/09/2025
The RFK hearing is a remarkable example of someone in real-time being informed about where they are on the Dunning-Kruger curve.
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Ben Spackman @bspackman.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
There is an ignorant clown running American health, because Americans voted an ignorant clown into the White House.
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Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
JFC. Laughable. All GOP senators will be okay with this though, amirite?
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🎃Darin S Pumpkins🎃 @darinself.com · 04/09/2025
"How can you be that ignorant?" What we need to hear from elites more often about the unbridled bad-faith and shockingly stupid arguments put forth by Trumpists
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Tom Nichols @radiofreetom.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
This RFK hearing is bonkers. Even Republicans are yelling at RFK. Too bad they didn’t do this a year ago.
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The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 04/09/2025
A common narrative has it that commitment and motherhood make women unhappy. New data suggest the opposite is true, Jean M. Twenge writes.
bit.ly
The Marriage Effect
A common narrative has it that commitment and motherhood make women unhappy. New data suggest the opposite is true.
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Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
About this Florida vaccine story: When they were little - 1 yr and 3 1/2 - my two older boys, who’d had all their shots, got whooping cough. We asked their pediatrician what would’ve happened if they hadn’t been vaccinated. “Oh, they’d have died.”
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Ben Spackman @bspackman.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
Let’s double down on the madness. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/u...
nytimes.com
Florida Says It Plans to End All Vaccine Mandates
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Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
I know, I know, but: The president of the US saying, literally, "we're going in" in reference to sending the military to an American city for no reason beyond terrorizing the local population should be the most immediately impeachable shit imaginable
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Ben Spackman @bspackman.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
This is the dictator blueprint since the 1930s
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Ben Spackman @bspackman.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
“Milk prices [doubling], strawberries that feel like luxury goods, and a switch to processed food: This is the six-month outlook economists studying labor and agriculture see for consumers.” So much winning. fortune.com/2025/08/28/t...
fortune.com
‘It’s like when you see the tsunami coming in’: Agricultural economists are sounding the alarm about produce prices doubling
Consumers “don’t have a clue what’s going on,”  said Raymond Robertson, a labor economist.
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public health guy @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
wow
nationalnursesunited.org
Nation’s largest RN union: Time for HHS Secretary RFK Jr. to go
the wake of the latest scandal he has perpetuated, National Nurses United, the nation’s largest nurses union and professional organization, today called for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Secretary of He...
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Damon Butler @damondaemon.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
If we have to become an authoritarian state, can we at least get eco-cities, bullet trains, and renewable energy?
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