Sign in

Doug Mack

@douglasmack.bsky.social
10K followers 556 following 14K posts

Probably down a research rabbit hole. 📖 The Not-Quite States of America, about the U.S. territories (W. W. Norton). 🍟Agreeably nerdy food history newsletter: snackstack.net He/him, just another dad in Minneapolis.

PostsRepliesMedia
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 16h
THIS IS THE ONE
040
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 16h
YES!! That one! I loved to read it but was absolutely terrified the whole time. Thank you, I couldn't remember the title.
010
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 16h
That column is such prime example of the genre
010
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 16h
💯
020
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 20h
One million percent
030
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 20h
Among others, yes
010
Reposted by Doug Mack
Nat Guest @unfortunatalie.bsky.social · 22h
and God said, why the long face
212424
Reposted by Doug Mack
GlassNinja @glassninja.bsky.social · 22h
Similar vibe: I lived in Chicago for several years. I was in a working/low-to-lower-middle class area. I never heard a shooting. Moved to a smaller town for several years, in a similar neighborhood. Was a few hundred feet away from and heard multiple mass shootings. Which concerned my parents more?
1132
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 22h
RIGHT.
030
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 22h
Absolutely. I have thought about this so many times and I think it would genuinely help. "Here's how you write about people in places and cultures other than your own. Here's how to be curious and listen and pay attention. Here's how to NOT BE AN ASSHOLE in the process."
2141
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 22h
The pundit view of the world is skewed by many things, one of which is a refusal/inability to understand geographic spaces that exist outside their own neighborhoods. It's all based on stereotypes and conjecture—even when they go to other places, and their columns are essentially bad travel writing.
636154
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 23h
Stray thought: A lot of USA political/pundit discourse seems like it's based on a second-ring suburban point of view. It's based on inaccurate stereotypes about demographics and everyday life in cities AND small towns AND the working-class, first-ring suburbs found in many metro areas.
625041
Reposted by Doug Mack
Steampunky Brewster @atleastonce.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
This is a good time of year to do it.
092
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 23h
Oh, I brought clippers for the weeds!
000
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 23h
Yes, we do, and I was thinking about just leaving it by someone's yard bags in a driveway
010
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 23h
Yes! Perfect for leaves
100
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
now i just have to haul this bigass bag of weeds and leaves and dirt home 😬
Bulging bag of yard waste with yellow plastic shovel leaning against it
2170
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
clearing out the weeds uncovered a pothole; i'll call the city to report it
1150
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
yesterday my daughter's girl scout troop cleared out some storm drains, so when i saw this mess by the park today, i followed their lead
storm drain mostly covered up by leaves and weedsStorm drain now clear of weeds and leaves
2673
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
this was like mile 18 (?) and it was genuinely fun to see exhausted runners get a power-up every time the beat dropped—like an involuntary reflex kicked in and they HAD to move faster
1100
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
shout-out to the DJ playing dance music along the marathon course this morning
Twin Cities Marathon runners along the Mississippi River Road in Minneapolis, with spectators in the foreground, including a DJ with full setup
1242
Reposted by Doug Mack
Ian Coldwater 🧊🚫 @lookitup.baby · 04/10/2026
Confirmed ICE seen skulking around South Minneapolis. Eyes out, whistles up
3355162
Reposted by Doug Mack
Nicholas Slayton @nslayton.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I occasionally worry that my love of chocolate and cocktails and general high-stress life are killing my health. Meanwhile:
1017322
Reposted by Doug Mack
King Algamemnon @adamrothman.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Marcel Proust and the USA in 2026 clasping hands over food recalls
26112
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
cozy!!
010
Reposted by Doug Mack
Andrew Ellis Evans @andrewellisevans.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Saturday morning at my house 🏠
1161
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
That sounds fantastic. Congrats!
110
Reposted by Doug Mack
Deb Chachra @debcha.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Some news: I’m (officially!) writing another book, tentatively titled TACTILE: MATTER, TECHNOLOGY, AND THE WORLD WE MAKE, working again my brilliant editor @armadilloproxy.bsky.social at @riverheadbooks.bsky.social. I wrote a bit more about it at my newsletter: buttondown.com/metafoundry/...
Publishers Marketplace
Deal Report

TACTILE
By Deb Chachra
Imprint: Riverhead

Materials scientist, design educator, and author of HOW INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS Deb Chachra's TACTILE, an articulation of the irreplaceable value of the material world and why the ways we interact with physical objects matter more than ever in a digital age, to Courtney Young at Riverhead, in an exclusive submission, by Zoe Pagnamenta at Calligraph (world).

Rights: tdussel@penguinrandomhouse.com

Non-fiction: Science/Technology

September 22, 2026
1113225
Reposted by Doug Mack
Deb Chachra @debcha.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Your spooky season reminder that there is a ~40% jump in pedestrian fatalities on Halloween compared to control days (and a 10x increase in risk for little kids). Closing streets is a great idea. It’s also an excellent night to avoid driving if you can. Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Pedestrian Fatalities Associated With Halloween in the United States
This study examines 42 years of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data to establish whether Halloween is associated with an increased rate of pedestrian fatalities.
310140
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
telekinesis, of course
120
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
It's been said a million times before but damn it's refreshing to see a mayor who actually likes the people (not just the corporations) in the city they lead
25510
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Also I have a cup of tea in one hand and a strong Old Fashioned in the other
2151
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
I want this but the setting is a cozy lodge with a big fireplace and lots of blankets and also the only person there is me
2415
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
That's a good reason!
010
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
this is why i prefer soccer, a sport with zero refereeing controversies
1130
Reposted by Doug Mack
Mara 👻 aBOOlish I.C.E. @mauratwit.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Ok more of you need to complete the district survey and contact your MPS school board member. The district is determined to cram this through . Vote No on all 3 Transformation plans
Initial feedback themes from Edison pathway (as of 9/29)
Key Themes
• Community schools and stability
• Transparency about budget information, enrollment strategy, and evidence of benefit
• Concerns about equity regarding student impact and geographic access
• Potential impacts on class size, programming, and student experience
18
MINNEAPOLIS
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
197
Reposted by Doug Mack
Colin Brown @colinmbrown.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
That can definitely be frustrating, and especially when you feel like you're losing your center. Here are some common reasons why your falcon cannot hear you:
1164
Reposted by Doug Mack
Nicole Bedera @nbedera.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Earlier this week, I agreed to interviews with two USA Today journalists. They wrote fantastic articles about the Cornell case that I'm proud to have been a part of. What I did not know is that their employer considers interviews to proprietary and opens up recordings to be used by any journalist.
5442201289
Reposted by Doug Mack
Chris Steller @chrissteller.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Minneapolis right now
Sunset, puffy clouds, a big road, green trees and the downtown skyline
520022
Reposted by Doug Mack
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 02/10/2026
To process the chaos, I'm spending a few minutes each night stitching a news diary—embroidering tiny icons representing an important story of the day. September offered a break from the blistering heat, but not from the deluge of (often) distressing news.
Embroidered icons representing news stories for each day in September
2444458
Reposted by Doug Mack
Beth Hawkins @bethhawkins.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Today @nickdnperez.bsky.social & I FINALLY published an investigation we — and a host of supporting @the74.bsky.social players — have been working on for months. TLDR: We crunched the $$$ to show how a controversial autism therapy is enriching private equity at the expense of vulnerable kids. 1/
the74million.org
Private Equity Is Cashing in on Autism Therapy. Children Are Paying the Price
Analysis of Medicaid data finds applied behavior analysis — an unproven, even dangerous therapy — turns huge profits for providers at kids' expense
12019
Reposted by Doug Mack
Addison Del Mastro @ad-mastro.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Long-ish piece today on the background psychology of owning a house and having a lot of space, and how the ease of accumulating junk is a kind of flipside of the freedom to buy and own stuff
thedeletedscenes.com
In Suburbia, No One Can Hear You Clean
How college life created quiet logistical constraints against clutter
041
Reposted by Doug Mack
David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
“Cutting this much from the university budget will mean that some of the core functions of the university will be lost. It’s not possible to just do more with less — to work smarter, to trim around the edges. We’re going to have to do less with less.” Gift link: www.startribune.com/umn-cuts-sta...
startribune.com
Perry: What we lose if the U cuts $225 million
"Austerity doesn’t work. Instead, it creates a death spiral, where reduction in services leads to reductions in revenue, which lead to reductions in services, which leads to reduction in revenue, whic...
16757295
Reposted by Doug Mack
Claire E. Aubin @ceaubin.com · 01/10/2026
Imagining people who do evil things to be devoid of empathy is a way of comforting oneself, because we all know that we feel empathy and therefore are not the kind of person who could do *that.* It’s much scarier to know that a conglomeration of circumstances can turn basically anybody bad.
437654
Reposted by Doug Mack
Mara Wilson @marawilson.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
New favorite negative audiobook review: the woman who criticized the Transatlantic accent I did for the part of an aging 1940s starlet, because she thinks I’m British and making fun of Americans
“Loving every conversation (Ms Marple is a triumph), the setting, the line of characters (-Sylvia), the connections between them, motives, 1st person narrations. However the accent on Sylvia is offensive, no American says "Baby"like that. Do Brits think we have speech impairments? I listen to Brit mysteries daily and this is the worst American accent. I will have to skip her chapters entirely next listen. Love overall!”
35130375
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
nice city, part 2
Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis seen from the air
040
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
nice city
downtown minneapolis from the air
1281
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
this is just the minnesota in winter aesthetic but goofier
2211
Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Spot. On. Thank you for this.
040
Reposted by Doug Mack
Ian Coldwater 🧊🚫 @lookitup.baby · 30/09/2026
BREAKING NEWS: “Do geese see God” is a palindrome
14580551973