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We Don’t Need the Voting Rights Act Anymore, and You Can Tell by How Great Race Relations Are in America Right Now

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/we-dont-need-the-voting-rights-act-anymore-…
Created
Sat, 18/10/2025 - 04:10

“The U.S. Supreme Court, hearing arguments Wednesday over a core provision of the Voting Rights Act, appeared inclined to limit the use of the landmark law to force states to draw electoral districts favorable to minority voters.” — AP News

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The Supreme Court appears poised to deliver yet another win for the US Constitution by striking down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that prohibits race-based discrimination when drawing legislative district maps. America no longer has a problem when it comes to voters of certain races being disenfranchised, and you can tell it’s not an issue by how great race relations are in America right now.

Generalising from sample to population (wonkish)

https://larspsyll.wordpress.com/2025/10/17/generalising-from-sample-to-populati…
Created
Sat, 18/10/2025 - 03:51
What strikes me repeatedly when examining the results of randomised experiments is how closely they resemble theoretical models. Both share a fundamental limitation: they are constructed under artificial conditions and struggle with the trade-off between internal and external validity. The greater the control and artificiality, the higher the internal validity — but the lower the […]

China Seizes The Master’s Weapon As It Makes Itself The New Hegemon

https://www.ianwelsh.net/china-seizes-the-masters-weapon-as-it-makes-itself-the…
Created
Sat, 18/10/2025 - 00:07
John Maynard Keynes believed that ideas, hospitality, travel, knowledge and science should move freely between nations.  if a country could reasonably produce something physical it needed, it should. Trade should exist, but be kept to a minimum. I’d like to highlight something Matt Stoller (the anti-trust guy) recently wrote: In May of 2020, the Chinese […]

From hours to minutes: Building an AI-powered PDF importer for local government for LocalGov Drupal

https://www.drupal.org/about/starshot/initiatives/ai/blog/from-hours-to-minutes…
Created
Fri, 17/10/2025 - 23:01

Guest blog post by Angie Forson, Web and Digital Programme Lead, Southwark Council.

The Web and Digital team at Southwark Council, along with our partners at Chicken, is building an AI-powered PDF importer for the LocalGov Drupal Publication Module. Together, we’re unlocking a faster, more accessible, and more collaborative future for publishing. 

Why this matters 

Manual PDF conversion can take hours – sometimes days. With our importer, it happens in minutes – often under one minute. Multiply that across thousands of PDFs, and the time savings are game-changing. 

I’m excited about the impact this product will have — not just for our users, but also in transforming how we design, build, and create content internally. We’re shaping a future where services start with HTML-first thinking.

Upcoming Supreme Court Decisions

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/upcoming-supreme-court-decisions
Created
Fri, 17/10/2025 - 23:00

“The Supreme Court is beginning a new term with a sharp focus on President Donald Trump’s robust assertion of executive power.” — ABC News

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United States Military v. Citizens

America’s armed forces, backed by their commander-in-chief, accuse Portland and Chicago residents of “unfriendly responses to enforced patriotism.” The defense claims that the occupation of a local Starbucks is not the primary role of the military.

Majority Opinion: “Our service men and women need all the support they can get to destabilize the home of deep dish pizza.”

Minority Opinion: “This is not our fight. Unrelated: Is that restaurant in The Bear real? And are reservations any easier to get now?”

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Debate – House of Lords – 16th of October 2025

https://robertskidelsky.com/2025/10/17/shanghai-cooperation-organisation-debate…
Created
Fri, 17/10/2025 - 22:03
Link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-10-16/debates/CD9953E1-3AFE-436A-BBD6-D170F107AE02/ShanghaiCooperationOrganisation I may have a closer connection with Tianjin than any Member of either House having gone to school there nearly 80 years ago. I hope this will not in itself cause me to be thought of as a security risk. I agree with the noble Baroness that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation poses challenges … Continue reading Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Debate – House of Lords – 16th of October 2025

when u assume you put the "u" in "assume". that's fine, that's what's supposed to happen, it's by design

http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=4392
Created
Fri, 17/10/2025 - 18:00
archive - contact - sexy exciting merchandise - search - about
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A Letter to the Troops from a Friendly Chicagoan

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/a-letter-to-the-troops-from-a-friendly-chic…
Created
Fri, 17/10/2025 - 11:00

Dear Troops,

First off, welcome! We’ve been anticipating your arrival in our city, where the wind blows like our reported crime rate, so hold on to your MAGA hats and ski masks. The weather changes hourly; prepare for simultaneous sunburn and frostbite. Our humidity smells like Italian beef, and in the winter, our streets are slicker than President Trump’s legal team at a deposition.

Your deployment was unsolicited, but we’re friendly Midwesterners. Neighbors will hand you a rusted lawn chair and a passive-aggressive note about parking “dibs.” Accept both. You’re family now.

Your odds of success for this mission will be as easy to decipher as the standard Midwestern “yeah, no” or “no, yeah,” but don’t let that discourage you from enjoying a slice of our city—and deep dish—while you’re here. Extra sassage.

October 17th, 2025next