iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 15h

Fall colors have come to the Cut River that connects Higgins, Marl, and Houghton Lakes. Image from today. Fall colors are tracking pretty close to normal, ahead of the timing of the last few years. #Michigan #Fall 🍂

The Cut River flows through forests and wetlands amidst vibrant fall colors.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 15h

This is a rare case of bipartisan politics that shows how government should work. Support for this spans the political spectrum, and the legislation proposed was thoughtful and genuinely aimed at solving a problem. Encouraging on all fronts.

bridgemi.com

Long-awaited dam safety reforms move closer to law after Michigan Senate vote - Bridge Michigan

Thursday’s vote is a watershed moment in the years-long effort to strengthen Michigan’s dam safety standards, which are among the nation’s weakest.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 02/10/2026

Owner-operator truck drivers overwhelmingly voted for Trump in 2024.

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James Dinneen @jamesdinneen.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Researchers are resurfacing allegations concerning the vote to reject the Anthropocene as an official geological epoch, saying they have reviewed internal documents that show the vote should have been stopped due to procedural violations. New in @nature.com: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

nature.com

Battle of the Anthropocene: allegations re-ignite row over proposed geologic epoch

Researchers say that a vote to reject the epoch violated procedure and call for transparency.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 01/10/2026

"The policy [...] was intended to support students’ mental health and ease the transition into college. It has received criticism from some who worry it could decrease U-M’s academic rigor." It would definitely do both of those things.

michiganpublic.org

U-M students react to suspension of planned policy to hide letter grades of first-semester freshmen

The University of Michigan has paused a planned program that would have removed letter grades from transcripts for many first-semester freshmen. Student reactions vary.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 01/10/2026

@debbiedingell.house.gov put forth a Data Center Bill of Rights to protect nearby residents from the burdens data centers put on people and the environment. It's worth reading through this, as it captures community concerns well. debbiedingell.house.gov/news/documen...

debbiedingell.house.gov

Press Releases | Congresswoman Debbie Dingell

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Rep. Debbie Dingell @debbiedingell.house.gov · 01/10/2026

Michiganders are feeling the pressure of rising energy prices.  We need policies that lower costs for working men and women — not ones that hand Big Tech a blank check while asking Michiganders to pick up the tab. bridgemi.com/guest-commen...

bridgemi.com

Opinion | ‘Pure Michigan’ fall at risk because of administration’s energy policies - Bridge Michigan

There is a choice for all of us. We can keep doubling down on expensive, outdated energy, or we can build the reliable, affordable clean energy Michigan needs that will create good-paying jobs for the...

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Julian Sanchez @normative.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Worth emphasizing that there are several layers of nuts here. If Smith had gone to an NBA game in Atlanta, that wouldn’t indicate he’d met with Willis. (Why would anyone go to the trouble, rather than just having a phone call?) And if he had met with Willis… that wouldn’t be any sort of scandal.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 30/09/2026

When the BigTen refs put a bonus second on the clock for Michigan

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Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 30/09/2026

This is priceless. Check out how local news is reporting on Sen Eric Schmidt’s clown-show grilling of Jack Smith. They found Jack Smith at the game… “Top corner, section 109, row 1. In fact, that seat doesn’t even exist in Atlanta.”

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Clean Water Action Michigan @cleanwatermi.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Ballots are out and we need everyone to vote #YESon2! It's time to get utility and big government contractor corporate cash OUT of our politicians' pockets. Here's how you can help bring @michiganmop.bsky.social across the finish line. Let's win for MI in November! cleanwater.org/2026/09/28/m...

cleanwater.org

Money Out Of Politics is on the ballot - vote YES on 2 and help win for Michigan!

The Michiganders for Money out of Politics (MMOP) proposal to ban monopoly utilities and major government contractors from spending on state/local politics has made the ballot as Proposal 2! But we ha...

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Oil & Water Don't Mix @owdm.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

After a 1.3 million natural gas leak on Line 5 in Wisconsin, Enbridge went ahead and created a bypass without state authorization. That's not okay - that's why we need Gov. Evers and his administration to protect the Great Lakes, not corporate polluters. #ShutDownLine5

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Brad Johnson @climatebrad.hillheat.com · 28/09/2026

"For the sake of the nation, and to establish at least one guardrail against Trump’s extreme impulses during his final two years in office, Democrats must capture control of the U.S. House. Toward that end, the Free Press endorses Democrat WILLIAM LAWRENCE for the 7th District House seat." #MI07

freep.com

Free Press endorsement in Michigan's 7th U.S. House race | Opinion

The Free Press endorsement in mid-Michigan's 7th U.S. House District.

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NMBurrito @taberwest.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

This is it people. The average ocean temperature in the Nino 3.4 region of the Pacific Ocean is now 29.822C. The previous record was 29.815C in 2015, 2 months later than today's date. That means the heating isn't done yet.

29.822C temperature in the Pacific Ocean Nino 3.4 region breaking the previous record in 2015.

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Leana Hosea @leanahosea.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The proposed ban on non-essential use of PFAS in the EU is being fought by the chemicals industry on a scale, "far bigger than anything the tobacco industry have been able to pull together." share.google/r69snPliLy5N...

share.google

Industry using ‘tobacco playbook’ to fend off ‘forever chemicals’ regulation

Industry-funded research and exaggerated claims litter arguments made by fluoropolymer industry against stricter regulation

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 25/09/2026

I haven't seen most of these, but of the one's I have seen, they seem silly to compare. Most are extremely well made but totally different shows. Was Game of Thrones better than The Good the Place or the Great British Baking Show? That's a nonsensical question.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 24/09/2026

Michigan residents: Tell your state representatives to ban #PFAS in common household products PFAS are in personal hygiene products, furniture, and other things around your home. They're not necessary. We should ban PFAS in these products. #PFASAwarenessWeek www.hrwc.org/how-michigan...

hrwc.org

How Michigan Residents Can Help Reduce PFAS Pollution and Support HB 5890

PFAS Michigan residents can help reduce PFAS by asking their state representatives to support House Bill 5890.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 24/09/2026

Thank you to Garret Ellison for facilitating a panel for #PFASAwarenessWeek, and thank you to panelists Sandy Wynn-Stelt, Tony Spaniola, and EGLE Director Phil Roos for a fascinating, sobering discussion about #PFAS.

Sandy Wynn-Stelt, Tony Spaniola, and EGLE Director Phil Roos speak on a panel facilitated by award-winning journalist Garret Ellison for PFAS Awareness Week. The event was held at the Pease Auditorium on EMU's campus in Ypsilanti.

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Chad Livengood @chadlivengood.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

SOUND ON: A neighbor across the street from Hyperscale Data Inc.’s data center in Dowagiac, Mich. captured this Ring video of the data center’s noisy humming (while it was mining bitcoin) as the company spokesman, John F. Stewart, stood at their door. My story: www.detroitnews.com/story/news/l...

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 22/09/2026

#PFAS contamination is al around us. Here are five general ways to reduce your own PFAS exposure as we also push for regulations that protect us from these toxic chemicals. #PFASAwarenessWeek www.hrwc.org/five-ways-to...

hrwc.org

Five Ways to Reduce Your PFAS Exposure

PFAS Five ways to reduce your everyday exposure to PFAS, widely used industrial processes and consumer products.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 21/09/2026

It is #PFASAwarenessWeek. Events will be taking place around the state all week to build awareness of the harm that PFAS causes and how we can reduce exposure, through both individual action and better regulation. Check out a great summary provided by MPART. www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse...

michigan.gov

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Prof Ian Hall @ianhall.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Will the U.S. megadrought ever end? Spoiler: perhaps not A great explanation of why...and why this may be more than just a drought. www.sciencenews.org/article/unit...

sciencenews.org

Will the U.S. megadrought ever end?

For 27 years, the Southwest has been gripped by a historic drought. Scientists think it might be here to stay.

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Dr. Jeff Masters @drjeffmasters.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

FEMA will pay homeowners after a house collapses, but not before. That means owners stand to lose tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars by tearing down a doomed house before the ocean takes it.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 18/09/2026

I got to introduce one of my professional heroes, @peterwsinclair.bsky.social, today during our Suds for the River event

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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The Trump regime is redefining the Endangered Species Act to consider only the intentional killing of endangered animals to be illegal, removing accountability for incidental harm caused by economic activities. Psychopaths.

nytimes.com

Trump Administration Moves to Gut a Core Endangered Species Protection (Gift Article)

An internal memo reinterprets the law so that only the intentional killing of animals, not collateral harm, is illegal.

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John Smillie @johnsmillie42.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Facts worth repeating: It would be cheaper to pay the ~40,000 or so people employed by the coal industry $1M a year to do nothing than to pay for the health damages (not including climate change) caused by burning coal in the U.S. publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu/news/story?h...

publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu

Counting up the costs of coal

Regular readers know that WVU’s Dr. Michael Hendryx has done work on that issue (subscription required), reporting that:

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 16/09/2026

This feels corrupt to me. The Michigan Public Service Commission seems to be putting themself in knots trying to appease Consumers. And Consumers is telling a brazen lie here in their statement: There is not widespread support for the sale. Officials at all levels are overwhelmingly opposed.

michiganpublic.org

After regulators skip decision on sale of Consumers' dams, company begins negotiation with opponents

The Michigan Public Service Commission did not make a decision on whether to allow or block the sale of Consumers' dams, and the company now says it's going to spend 60 days negotiating with opponents...

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 16/09/2026

This post is getting a lot of attention. I am far more worried about climate change than AI in the long run. In fact, rapid, unregulated, investor-driven, forced AI consumption will worsen climate change. The "AI will kill us all" line of thinking isn't well-explained. 1/n

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Captain Mark Kelly @captmarkkelly.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Donald Trump's trades: 28,700 All of Congress's trades: 22,200 My trades: 0 Ban stock trading in Washington.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 15/09/2026

Macklemore’s statement about being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour over “Free Palestine” comments is a must-read. Robert Kraft forced Sheeran to decide between venues or Macklemore. He chose the money. Four other supporting acts have dropped off the tour in response. www.reddit.com/r/EdSheeran/...

reddit.com

From the EdSheeran community on Reddit: Macklemore just posted this statement about his removal from Ed’s Loop tour.

Explore this post and more from the EdSheeran community

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 11/09/2026

Head Coach Red Berenson knew and allegedly encouraged acquiescence by players. We had a connection to the mother of one of the UM players in this time frame. I remember her angrily saying this was happening and UM was doing nothing.

bridgemi.com

University of Michigan sued by 16 former hockey players alleging sexual abuse - Bridge Michigan

The players say their coach and other staff were aware of sexual hazing that included the forced shaving of their genitals and other abuses by teammates decades ago.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 11/09/2026

This tracks for me. I’m annoyed when something about watershed protection or climate change forces me to watch a video. But if I need to fix a leaking faucet or repair drywall it’s straight to YouTube.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 10/09/2026

PFAS Awareness Week in Michigan is 9/20-9/26 There are two events in Ypsilanti you should come to: 1) Ypsi Fall River Day, 9/20 at noon, Riverside Park 2) Dark Waters Movie Showing, 6:00 pm 9/23, Pease Auditorium, EMU Local elected officials will be at both events. #PFASAwarenessWeek #PFAS

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 10/09/2026

Holy small town corruption, Batman There are a lot of crazy things in here, but for the unfamiliar, putting in a 250-car lot near a this local hidden gem that typically has 2-8 cars parked at any given winter day on state land nearby is absolutely insane.

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Rodger Sherman @rodger.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Here’s my Michigan-WMU Zapruder breakdown

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 04/09/2026

The DTE Outage Map is hot garbage this time around. It is wildly inaccurate. We have power. The map says we don’t. A whole neighborhood across town is down since yesterday. Map says it’s fine despite people reporting outages constantly since then.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 31/08/2026

All joking aside, the satellite view the @mapquest.com app is better than in Google and Apple. It's not cluttered with nonsense and embellishments. It looks significantly sharper to me.

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 28/08/2026

We reworked out webpage on #datacenters a while ago, collecting and distilling the best available information and tailoring it for the Huron River watershed. There is some scale comparison here to other industries that folks everywhere might find useful.

hrwc.org

Data Centers

The rapid development of data centers has emerged as one of the most immediate threats to the health of the Huron River watershed

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Daniel Brown @danielarthurbrown.com · 28/08/2026

When things are bad in the world, it helps to look up at a clear night sky, made more special and humbling by the lunar eclipse this morning.

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