@jennfrey
Philosopher @utulsa @uva alum @iubloomington @PittTweet host @eudaimoniapod Bylines @wsj @nytimes Mother to many. Frequently argues w/ @FreyChristopher.
Phil Hoyeck @PAHoyeck
The Daily Beast @thedailybeastThe lame-duck president hosted a MAGA-friendly media flock in the Oval Office on Friday.
Demetri @AsiaLensUS intelligence agencies believe @Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had romantic relationship with alleged Chinese spy
Bryan Caplan @bryan_caplanHuman disempowerment now. It's time for the age of the folly and cruelty of human politics to end. The median AI is so far above the median human voter in both knowledge and decency it's embarrassing. Humanity should just take the L.
60 Minutes @60MinutesIn his first sit-down interview since Tuesday’s election, President Donald Trump speaks with 60 Minutes’ Ross Douthat about the Republican losses in the midterms, congressional investigations, the wars in Iran and Ukraine, the economy and more. Sunday on 60 Minutes.
Chaos Lobby @ChaosLobbyAcademia as we know it will be dead soon. Almost every researcher in our department is basically just managing Codex and Claude: “Here’s the problem. Fix it. Run the simulations. Get the results. Now write the paper.” The irony? 👇
David Austin Walsh @DavidAstinWalshAll of the emphasis on the “generational wipeout” that the GOP just suffered misses the bigger picture: that the electorate has swung wildly since 2016 in practically every election cycle.
Christopher Frey @FreyChristopherHave current events left you depressed and in need of a pick me up? Or are you thrilled and want the good times to keep rolling? Either way, the end you seek arrives early next year!
Scott Schneider @EdLawDudeGina Hinojosa’s victory over Greg Abbott has significant implications for Texas higher education. One of the most consequential powers she will inherit is appointing the people who govern the state’s public universities. The first nomination opportunities come quickly. At UT and Texas A&M, the terms for three voting seats expire February 1, 2027, and three more expire February 1, 2029. Texas Tech follows the same three-seat cycle, with terms expiring January 31, 2027, and January 31, 2029. That creates opportunities to nominate successors for six of nine voting seats on each of those three system boards within about two years of taking office. Those dates do not guarantee turnover. Incumbents can hold over until successors qualify, subject to constitutional limits. Recess appointments can permit interim service, but they still face Senate review. A confirmed majority of Hinojosa appointees will depend on navigating the confirmation process. Senate confirmation requires two-thirds of the senators present. With Republicans retaining control of the chamber, GOP senators will have substantial influence over which nominees are confirmed. These appointments carry particular weight after SB 37. The law requires governing boards to review general education curricula and approve or reject hires for provost, deputy provost, associate provost and assistant provost. Boards can also overturn hiring decisions for deans and vice presidents. These are substantial powers over university leadership and academic direction. There is an immediate deadline worth watching: the first curriculum review must be completed by January 1, 2027, before Hinojosa takes office. The existing boards are responsible for that first round of decisions. Vikki Goodwin’s victory over Dan Patrick matters, too. Under current Senate rules, the lieutenant governor has substantial authority over committee appointments and bill referrals. But the Senate sets its own rules, and its Republican majority could narrow those powers. Goodwin also will co-chair the Legislative Budget Board with the House speaker, an important position in state funding decisions. There is another route to influence: the governor appoints the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and, with Senate consent, the higher education ombudsman. Unlike regents serving staggered terms, the ombudsman serves at the governor’s pleasure. Community colleges are also affected. Their trustees are generally elected locally, but public junior colleges fall within SB 37’s curriculum-review requirements and the ombudsman’s jurisdiction under Education Code §§51.315, 61.003 and 61.031. The Coordinating Board also administers their state funding system within statutory and appropriations constraints. Local governance does not insulate them from state policy.
Ross Douthat @Douthat60Not the determining issue, but one sub-theme of the election is that the idea of an accelerationist "tech right" in 2022-2024 was associated with cool rocketry and new military hardware, but once in power it ended up associated with the terrible vibes of the AI industry instead.
Brad Carson @bradrcarsonSo the 41 datacenter moratoria across the country are, I predict, going to go 41-0. In nearly every case it's about 67-80% opposing datacenters. True in California, Ohio, everywhere. Read all the results here:
