Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 10hSo-called AI detection tools might be an even bigger scurge than AI. I was talking today with a student (a senior), who shared that they now have to spend time "dumbing down" their papers--shortening sentences, removing advanced vocab and punctuation--because otherwise they get flagged as "AI." 825964
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 19hThis is crap for two reasons. 1: polls show, clear majorities of all parties support expanding childcare access 2: if parents are wary of childcare, it's because Reps spent four decades vilifying employed moms, stoking false fears of daycare, and underfunding programs in ways that limit care quality 613125
Reposted by Jess CalarcoDave Weigel @daveweigel.bsky.social · 20hAaron is not underrating this. It's cinema. The sly smirk when Schmitt thinks he's gotten Smith to perjure himself. The hasty vanishing of the sign. Klobuchar getting Kennedy to hold it up. Schmitt getting LOUD and ANGRY when Klobuchar points out he mixed up the Hawks and Hawkeyes. 1252640515
Reposted by Jess CalarcoAssigned Media @assignedmedia.org · 29/09/2026Democrats seem headed for big wins, but one avenue for self-sabotage would be adopting R's framing on trans rights. @billiejsweeney.bsky.social spoke with insiders incl Lanae Erikson of Third Way and Rep. Sarah McBride for this substanial piece of new reporting. assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...assignedmedia.orgDemocrats Lose by Punching Down on Trans Issues, Strategists Say - Assigned MediaInsiders, including at centrist think tank Third Way, are cautioning Democratic candidates against echoing Republican talking points on trans rights. 26866247
Reposted by Jess CalarcoCharlotte Clymer @charlotteclymer.bsky.social · 21hDear god... GOP Sen. Eric Schmitt clearly loses his shit after it's revealed by Sen. Klobuchar that Schmitt confused the Iowa Hawkeyes college basketball team with the Atlanta Hawks NBA team in his attempt to claim Jack Smith was in Atlanta and colluded with Fani Willis. I'm gobsmacked. Holy shit. 28710146
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 23hI teach a 9:30am seminar for first-year undergrads, and this semester, I started bringing snacks to class every day. Nothing fancy--usually just granola bars. But it means students can still get some fuel before class, even if they don't have time for breakfast. Which means more engagement in class. 91142
Reposted by Jess CalarcoEmily L. Hauser (she/her) ❌👑 @emilylhauser.bsky.social · 28/09/2026I managed to mostly not know any of this until today. This detail is new to me. The horror coursing through my body feels like poison. My God, men. Decide RIGHT FUCKING NOW what you'll do if a woman is sexually harassed or assaulted in your vicinity. Ask another man to do the same. TALK ABOUT IT. 221042300
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 28/09/2026Just got a crime warning from my university with "reports of possible drugging incidents and sexual assaults" at off-campus fraternities. One occurred after last week's Cornell news. And I hate that the lack of consequences there might've emboldened young men to perpetrate similar violence here. 48413
Reposted by Jess CalarcoAlex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 28/09/2026Well well well, I wonder how we got here, Mr. Karl Rove: www.sacurrent.com/news/politic...sacurrent.comKarl Rove says Republican Party is being taken over by 'Nazis'The Bush-era GOP political operative also said Republicans would be winning the battle for Texas' U.S. Senate seat if John Cornyn was the nominee. 841322243
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 27/09/2026Effective altruism is closely linked to the Epstein-backed Edge network of big-name scholars/thinkers, many of whom believe their brilliance makes them better than everyone and uniquely capable of saving the world. So it's not surprising to me that these men see women as less than full human beings. 413936
Reposted by Jess CalarcoFaine Greenwood @faineg.com · 27/09/2026The bizarre culture that’s sprung up around Silicon Valley AI companies - which overlaps hugely with rationalist and effective altruist circles - appears to be seriously pressuring some women into attending sex parties for the sake of networking. This is, needless to say, horrifying. 422420349
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 27/09/2026My husband is in charge of machine sewing, so he usually makes the kids' Halloween costumes. But I'm in charge of crafting, so when my 12-year-old asked for a "mushroom fairy hat" this year, I knew that'd be on me. And I was worried. But based on what we have so far, I think it might turn out okay! 2960520
Reposted by Jess CalarcoMike Boylan-Kolchin @mbkplus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026As someone in a STEM discipline, I really abhor the kind of messaging that Mark describes. The messengers aren’t people who actually care about STEM. It’s really a shorthand for “do something practical, focus on your relation to the labor market”. 1241279
Reposted by Jess CalarcoMark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 27/09/2026👇🎯 If you send kids the message that the only majors that are good are business & STEM from the time they’re in middle school, & then you don’t find the humanities & social sciences at the college level, it all becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy & that was clearly the point in the first place. 321834
Reposted by Jess CalarcoMike Boylan-Kolchin @mbkplus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026The messengers generally look down on most scientific inquiry unless it’s a very specific form of applied science. We can’t let these folks divide us; in the end, much of STEM has more in common with the humanities and social sciences than with, e.g., business. 321126
Reposted by Jess CalarcoAdam Bonin @adambonin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026They sent my client a cease-and-desist letter for this ad in PA's hotly contested 6th Senate District. As I wrote back, "We will neither cease nor desist from engaging in this truthful, accurate speech." Here's the "Data Senator" ad which Republicans don't want Lower Bucks residents to see.youtu.beData SenatorYouTube video by Eileen Albillar 919359
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 26/09/20269-year-old: What do birds eat? Husband: Mostly bugs and worms. 9: That's not nice! Me: It's the circle of life. We eat birds, and birds eat worms... Husband: And worms eat us. 9: What!??!? 162159
Reposted by Jess Calarcombbendt @bendts2cents.bsky.social · 26/09/2026This is every Libra Mom ever. I just want a clean house and a long nap. My kids kept making me adorable dust-collecting popsicle stick crafts. They are young adults now and have upgraded to food projects. 2172
Reposted by Jess CalarcoElizabeth Cronise McLaughlin @ecmclaughlin.bsky.social · 26/09/2026This post really pissed me off. As someone who has been an activist for forty years and training activists, organizers and non-profit leaders for 15 years, one of the most relevant factors for continued engagement is whether people enjoy the work, feel like they belong, and find community in it. 822537
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 26/09/2026Me: So, kids, my birthday is next week, and I don't need any presents, but if you want to do something nice for me, you could... 9-year-old: Make you a craft? Like with popsicle sticks? Me: That sounds nice, but I was gonna say vacuum my car. 9: Or we can just give you lots and lots of hugs! 3810
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 26/09/2026Naked Emperor, convinced he's wearing invisible clothes, nevertheless complains when his a** gets cold. newrepublic.com/article/2158...newrepublic.comTrump’s Angry Tirade Over Failing Press Ban Reveals His Achilles’ HeelTrump is furious that news organizations are fighting back against his vile efforts to punish their colleagues—because collective resistance to his authoritarianism actually works. 0368
Reposted by Jess CalarcoVictor Ray @victorerikray.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Send this to every university President in the country. 361959440
Reposted by Jess CalarcoLarry Glickman @larryglickman.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Elite universities mea culpas about the “loss of trust” in higher education so often fail to consider the force of the longterm propagandistic attack on universities, given extensive play in conservative media, that long preceded Trump, but which he has massively accelerated. 9765117
Reposted by Jess CalarcoJess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 26/09/2026I forgot to post this yesterday, but Week 38 of my stitch-the-news daily news diary included: An air raid siren A weed A canceled press pass A WB logo A dark TV screen A red carpet A set of footprints 0436
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 26/09/202612-year-old: Why did humans invent money? Me: It makes trade easier--a hat-maker can get milk even if the milk-maker doesn't need hats 12: Why not give everyone the same amount of money? Me: The idea is to make people work harder 12: But once someone has more, they can just cheat to stay ahead 815113
Reposted by Jess Calarcoletithappenalreadymama @pnutsmama.bsky.social · 26/09/2026this does not solve male loneliness 0445
Reposted by Jess CalarcoTressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Right, okay everybody, I’ve had a lot of meetings and talks this week and I have to share some top line thoughts. Things are quite a bit worse than i am usually willing to share with people because panic does no good. It’s kinda bad. The baddies have the wind at their back. No denying that. 101311216
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 25/09/2026That thing where spend a whole bunch of time on something, finally finish it, and then realize that you won't get the relief of seeing your to-do-list reduced by one, because you never actually added it to the list. 7700
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 25/09/2026Articles like this aren't for people in serious debt (who probably can't afford WaPo, let alone to "free up money"). Articles like this are for people who want to feel better about getting by while others struggle. Reassuring them--the strugglers would be fine if they made smart choices money-wise. 512723
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 24/09/2026Pretty rich for the prince of personal responsibility politics to be like, "please someone get us out of this!" after playing such a big role in getting us into this mess in the first place. 3697
Reposted by Jess CalarcoLinda Holmes @lindaholmes.bsky.social · 24/09/2026This is my take as well. If you create a car that spontaneously accelerates because of how it’s designed, nobody says the car went rogue. You, who designed and sold the car, are on the hook. It’s not everybody else’s problem. Can’t keep it from spontaneously accelerating? Don’t sell it. 424648
Reposted by Jess CalarcoTressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 24/09/2026“The customer is always wrong, now” is a great way to capture how specialize finance has ruined everything from our favorite store to your political process. Margins are now the only customer. The only voter. We have but one real way to exert power over any of it anymore. 4582147
Reposted by Jess CalarcoDenali @denali.bsky.social · 24/09/2026According to the announcement this is an ongoing partnership between the City and the Met. I love it. But there's a fiscal angle too. Cultural institutions don't pay taxes but they should still be on the hook for public benefit. Figuring out how to deliver on that for everyone is important. 1394
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 24/09/2026My 12-year-old, who subscribes to and reads NPR's daily newsletter, asked me the other day, "Mom, is it going to be safe to vote this year?" I told her I hope so, but also that I get why she's worried about what November might bring. 2355
Reposted by Jess CalarcoNina Metz @ninametz.bsky.social · 24/09/2026“A traveling bookmobile displaying copies of the Jeffrey Epstein files stopped in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood Wednesday as part of a national campaign to educate the public on the 3.5 million declassified federal documents” Hadn’t heard about this until now Gift 🔗chicagotribune.comDonald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Bookmobile stops in ChicagoA traveling bookmobile displaying the Jeffrey Epstein files stopped in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood Wednesday as part of a national campaign to educate the public on the 3.5 million declassifi... 03912
Reposted by Jess CalarcoSandy Ernest Allen @sandyernestallen.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Did ANY mainstream outlets, non-queer, cover this? 13710
Reposted by Jess CalarcoCouncil on Contemporary Families @ccfamilies.bsky.social · 24/09/2026The White House has a plan to pay thousands to stay-at-home parents. @ccfamilies.bsky.social Board Member @jessicacalarco.com argues that this plan is simply another way lawmakers enforce purity-test policymaking and pit stay-at-home moms against working moms. www.europesays.com/people/225944/europesays.comJD Vance’s new childcare proposal: pit mothers against each other - People“Normal Americans,” JD Vance wrote in 2021, “want a family policy that doesn’t shunt their kids into crap daycare so they can enjoy more ‘freedom’ in the paid 1156
Reposted by Jess CalarcoNathan Kalmoe (he/him) @nathankalmoe.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Hey Dane County friends! 👋🏻 If you live in West Madison, Middleton, Waunakee, Verona, Cross Plains, Mazo, Black Earth, or smaller NW Dane villages… …And you’d like a bumper sticker or yard sign to help spread the word about my progressive write-in campaign… Let me know, & I’ll get that to you! 🥳 1148
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 24/09/2026Also: If you want crispy edges and gooey middles, form the dough for each cookie into a cylinder instead of a sphere, and keep the dough super cold until it goes in the oven. That way, the dough doesn't spread as much, and the middle stays super soft. 1444338
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 24/09/2026In related news, I recently learned that you can make cookies look extra professional by swirling them in a circle cookie cutter/biscuit cutter just after they come out of the oven. 6822
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 24/09/2026If you give your students cookies, it makes stuffing hundreds of envelopes (with invitations for a class research project) much more fun. 4481
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 23/09/2026Thanks to those who came out last night to the Middleton Library to learn about Why Rich People Cheat (And Why We Let Them Get Away With It). It was great to have a packed house and such an engaged audience! And thanks to @uwmadison.bsky.social's @uwbadgertalks.bsky.social for supporting the event! 2479
Reposted by Jess CalarcoYell In a War @jelenawoehr.bsky.social · 22/09/2026the real proof that companies use AI to break labor power, not because it can actually replace human work: OpenAI hires entire humans to prevent other humans from using AI to train the AI, and those humans can get fired for using AI to stop the other humans from using AI404media.coPeople Training OpenAI’s AI Fired for Using AI to Train the AIOpenAI has thousands and thousands of contractors helping improve the company's AI models. Multiple contractors have been fired for using AI to train the AI. 13816
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 22/09/2026One of the things I love most about teaching freshman seminars in sociology is that I get to witness so many lightbulb moments in class--moments where students connect the dots and suddenly see new meaning in things that they've recognized but maybe not fully understood about the social world. 927624
Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 22/09/2026This is the country that four decades of "personal responsibility" politics have wrought. 12833220
Reposted by Jess CalarcoBrian Goldstone @brian-goldstone.bsky.social · 22/09/2026There is something so unbelievably bleak about an article that calmly walks readers through how to navigate being laid off after 50, losing your health insurance, and somehow surviving the years until Medicare. What a broken country.nytimes.comLaid Off After 50, and No Health Insurance? Here’s What to Consider. (Gift Article)At best, older workers will struggle to find health insurance that bridges the years before they qualify for Medicare at age 65. 762477760
Reposted by Jess CalarcoFrankie de la Cretaz @thefrankiedlc.news · 18/09/2026I'm really glad that Code Switch included this part of my interview, because I think these are the points that so often get lost in the discussion of trans panic and why the WNBA might be an ideal target for those anti-trans groups to latch onto. www.npr.org/2026/09/15/n... 9840326
Reposted by Jess CalarcoGrudgie the Whale @grudgie.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Where the women’s sports protectors at? 322166
Reposted by Jess CalarcoAlly Whelan @amwhelan.bsky.social · 20/09/2026"The directive aims to create a new external committee with the power to veto awards in the nation’s vast biomedical research portfolio that do not conform to Mr. Trump’s political agenda, according to people with knowledge of the effort." This is bad for science. This is bad for us all.nytimes.comWhite House Moves to Take Control of N.I.H. Grants (Gift Article)Federal officials are drafting an executive order that would place grants under review by an outside panel, the latest effort to redirect billions of dollars in research spending. 59750