Tuesday, January 13, 2026

University of California Comes to a Standstill as Academic Workers Strike

Workers at 10 UC campuses struck after the university system failed to offer compensation commensurate to the cost of living in California.

Two Ways of Looking at a Blue Bird: What’s Really Going on at Twitter?

Twitter’s upcoming stress test at the World Cup, Twitter’s software, and the players in the Twitter drama.

2:00PM Water Cooler 11/21/2022

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~

Links 11/21/2022

Is the Collective West Going Soon to Be Hoist on the Zelensky Petard?

ving elevated Zelensky to be the face of Ukraine’s war effort is becomig a problem for the West.

It Hurts to Ask

This column examines the factors that determine the offering, asking, and granting of help. Asking entails the risk of rejection, which can be painful, generating a trap wherein those in need hope – but don’t ask – for an offer, while willing helpers wait for a request, resulting in significant inefficiencies.

The Only Crypto Story You Need? A Response to Matt Levine’s The Crypto Story

A wide-ranging discussion of why defenses of crypto don’t stand up to scrutiny.

The Stavka Memorandum: Russia Means Military Power Plus Diselectrification of the Ukraine (“Stormy and Prolonged Applause”)

John Helmer describes how Russia is identifying electricity grid targets, as well as current ideas for creating a demilitarized zone.

What “Our Democracy” Should Look Like When Voting: Reader Reactions and Updates

The “simple plan” revised according to (some) readers’ suggestions

Links 11/20/2022

Successful Tool-Lending Libraries Force Us to Rethink What the Public Is Willing to Share

Spawned in the wake of World War II, tool libraries lend implements and devices and provide practical guidance to community members who can’t afford to own or store their own tools.

Links 11/19/2022

With COP Gridlocked, Critics Blast ’27 Years of Obstructionism, Delay, and Greenwashing’

One activist on the COP’s underwhelming performance: “Once again we are seeing rich countries trying to evade their responsibility.”

Tom Ferguson: Worker’s Wages & Leverage are the Real Targets

Why did Corporate Democrats “cede” the economic argument? Are they really fighting inflation or trying to weaken workers’ bargaining power?

2:00PM Water Cooler 11/18/2022

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~