Data outage
Researcher covering hate and extremist movements in the United States. @openmeasures.bsky.social Listen to "Posting Through It" on your favorite podcast player and support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PostingThroughIt
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Data outage
"Why?" You might ask. Well, we're talking about millions of posts every day. You could come up with a thousand theories and all of them could have some merit. Does it matter? Probably not. Posted this to make the point that people like Greenwald are confusing their imaginations with reality
Blueksy is not "evaporating" by any meaningful sense of that word but the data does show that the number of posts made each day has been gradually declining over the last six months or so. Sort of interesting to see, but definitely not a sign this platform is on death watch
This looks like complete trash, but what’s fascinating is it’s 100% accurate in portraying how some self-declared extremism experts see themselves. (Not a compliment.)
4chan is like a cockroach. Extremely resilient and hard to kill.
Remember when 4chan went offline earlier this year? A lot of researchers and reporters were eager to declare that 4chan was dead, or that it’d never be the same when it returned. Those obituaries were entirely premature. Quick look at @openmeasures.bsky.social openmeasures.io/4chan-returns/
Did 4chan's April outage have a lasting negative impact on its activity levels and userbase? In short: no. Check out our thoughts here: openmeasures.io/4chan-returns/
Remember when 4chan went offline earlier this year? A lot of researchers and reporters were eager to declare that 4chan was dead, or that it’d never be the same when it returned. Those obituaries were entirely premature. Quick look at @openmeasures.bsky.social openmeasures.io/4chan-returns/
The Trump administration used Benny Johnson's claims that his house was "burned to the ground" and that "people were murdered in my front yard" to justify its federal takeover of DC. @kenbensinger.bsky.social found out that Johnson made it all up. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/30/b...
On the pod this week we spoke to the fantastic @marisakabas.bsky.social about the not-so-fantastic military occupation of Washington, DC. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
And, last plug: This week is the start of our weekly premium episodes! Sign up to support us with $5/mo on Patreon to get access to them! First one goes out on Thursday! patreon.com/PostingThroughIt
Here’s some more links! Be sure to subscribe so you get our future episodes! Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/0WAT... YouTube: youtu.be/_vs-itcrge8 Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/032-ca...
listen if you enjoy hearing me gab and not just shitpost
On the pod this week we spoke to the fantastic @marisakabas.bsky.social about the not-so-fantastic military occupation of Washington, DC. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
Latest Posting Through It features @marisakabas.bsky.social and it’s all about the MAGA occupation of Washington DC and threats to Chicago and New York. Get it here ⬇️ www.patreon.com/posts/137681...
Tomorrow is the last day to get half off your first month of a Posting Through It subscription on our Patreon. Next week we start posting bonus episodes for our supporters! It’s going to be a ton of fun. Don’t miss it! www.patreon.com/PostingThrou...
not just that he has no constitutional authority, there isn't even any particular legal or institutional mechanism by which the president can make anyone treat this as anything other than a weird advisory opinion.
Attaching this thread in the interest of fairness. Seems like a lot of distance between the article and what these influencers are saying? Now I'm feeling sort of confused. bsky.app/profile/ryan...
I hadn't seen that! Certainly makes this seem... well, not like something I'm ready to cut a free pass for but maybe not as severe as I thought after reading that piece? Kind of confusing -- feels like a lot of discrepancy between what these influencers are saying and what the article states?
Can you hit me with links? If I'm misunderstanding the situation I'd rather know that
They updated it to include info from a source who contacted after publication (which is an ethical thing to do if their info is relevant) but I'm not aware of a retraction
"Dark money" is how political nonprofits get funded. Nature of the beast, thanks to this nation's tax laws/incentives. It is often pretty benign, but if that money is directing your content you should definitely a) try to figure out who's signing the checks and b) disclose that to your audience
Context www.wired.com/story/dark-m...
I'm sorry but if you take money from a source to push partisan talking points and don't readily disclose that to your audience OF COURSE you are going to destroy your credibility -- ESPECIALLY if that source is dictating or limiting your work. I'm not sure how anyone considers that up for debate.
13s!!! Are you drop tuning?
lol. These went on the modded player strat! The Epiphone will be next up but the set of 10s I have on that still has some life in it.
Just the way I play, I am liking a the little bit of extra pushback on the strings. Something about it just feels good to me. Supposedly it changes the tone a little bit but if there’s a real difference it’s pretty subtle
10s. Not the biggest change but I’m digging a little extra pushback
Switched my guitar strings to 11s and having an epiphany that I should have done this years ago.
Tomorrow is the last day to get half off your first month of a Posting Through It subscription on our Patreon. Next week we start posting bonus episodes for our supporters! It’s going to be a ton of fun. Don’t miss it! www.patreon.com/PostingThrou...
Up next on Posting Through It: a chat w/ @marisakabas.bsky.social about the military occupation of DC and how the Trump Administration's remaking of federal government exhibits the idea of "performative cruelty." Out Monday! Sign up to get notified when it drops. www.patreon.com/posts/032-ca...
Saw this on the timeline and figured this would be a good hint at who we’ve got on Monday’s podcast @marisakabas.bsky.social
Have really been enjoying getting plugged in at @openmeasures.bsky.social. I'm looking forward to sharing more of the work I've been doing and the cool stuff my colleagues are up to. Be sure to follow us here and sign up for the newsletter (form at top of page) openmeasures.io/research/
Right -- not a mind-blowing idea, but seeing it by the numbers I think can sink it home for people who aren't convinced or haven't considered it before
Something our data shows: the Islamophic and antisemitic narratives targeting Zohran Mamdani have some significant overlap -- a good chunk of posts that did one also did the other
thanks! my mentality is that we are not going to try to make *you* laugh but if we can occasionally make each other laugh you're welcome to join in -- we cover a lot of bleak shit and if we didn't try to have at least a little fun with it we'd be miserable
Really good look at the state of AI tech and why the initial wave of enthusiasm and curiosity shown for the technology may be turning a corner, via @maxread.info maxread.substack.com/p/is-the-ai-...
One third of all posts mentioning Zohran Mamdani on prominent alt-tech platforms contained Islamophobic and antisemitic keywords. New report from @openmeasures.bsky.social openmeasures.io/zohran-mamda...
I’ve seen a lot of fucked up shit in my day, but this might just take the cake.
Obviously it’s best to have the AI philosophers think about harm reductions like making sure the chatbot doesn’t contact an alien civilization and arrange for us to be wiped out, instead of boring shit like this. Especially when you have VC midwits convinced they’re doing vibe particle theory etc.
Working on something else this morning but I feel like it was underappreciated that earlier this month DHS touted a report written by Center for Immigration Studies: an anti-immigrant hate group that has historically overlapped with the white nationalist movement www.splcenter.org/resources/ex...
Nearly 1/3 of all posts about New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani contain Islamophobia or accusations of antisemitism, according to our research across 5 major alt-tech platforms. Check it out here: openmeasures.io/zohran-mamda...
One of the best reporters in America today
This was a really exceptional episode of QAA feat @maargentino.com podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/q...
Working for the government is a frustrating and thankless job. Everything moves slow, it's ruthlessly hierarchal, and it's hard to change things. The people I know who have stayed charge ahead out of a want to contribute to something they think -- for all its flaws -- is a net positive for society.
I know many people who have worked in federal agencies and there are exactly zero of them that I would even begin to describe as "radical." They are people who believe in the work and find meaning in serving the public -- it takes a lot to get people like that walking out against their employer!
The Minnesota shooter seems more or less straight out of the nihilistic violent extremist handbook. There's echoes of Columbine, Sandy Hook, etc. here. In one clip you could "Ted K." (unabomber) and "Robert Bowers" (Pittsburgh) written on his guns. He referenced Adam Lanza in his screed.
The Trump administration says they're the "most transparent" in history. But when I asked the Department of Homeland Security who writes their social media posts, something extremely weird happened: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
How long are we going to have to put up with mush like this? Frowns? Muttering? The humanity! Also, what do you mean ad hominem attacks were "just as harmful?" Surely they were more? Dreck elevated in the discourse so readily, you're not even expected to make the strongest version of the argument.
Has Trump’s online base moved on from the ‘Epstein Files’ scandal? In my first piece for @openmeasures.bsky.social, I ran the numbers. Of the alt-platforms I looked at, the only one keeping Epstein discussion alive was this one: Bluesky. openmeasures.io/epstein-files/
ICYMI — We dropped another “Who the Hell?” installment on the pod this week. Listen at our Patreon or any of the normal podcast players!
I think we can let the "is Trump REALLY an authoritarian/fascist/etc?" debate have some rest now
I like UAD plugins I have but they're just so damn expensive that I don't have many of them. Have been on the hunt for good room sims and an analog-voiced limiter -- if either of these sound good for the demos I record, that means I scored.
For my audio/home recording nerds: this is an absolutely insane deal on good plug-ins. At $3, how could you not give it a shot. Even if you only find one of these that you like, you win!
In its alleged fight against antisemitism, the Trump administration has relied on two groups with murky funders—one of which is in Israel. Here's my deep dive @thebaffler.com into Canary Mission and Betar, two extreme Zionist groups at the heart of Trump's crackdown. thebaffler.com/latest/for-b...
Good stuff as always but this really made me laugh.
No. It's software. It's not conscious and never will be. Next question please.
I suspect that the wonks keep telling Democrats that they should avoid discussing what Trump is doing not because they are actively malicious but because they are not actually imaginative or enterprising enough to come up with real ideas for them and are too self-serving to take on any personal risk
bluesky didn’t kill itself
Annoyingly, the OSU ban seems to be about sports and not about Dave Portnoy’s grotesque misogyny: open.spotify.com/episode/3GF1...
there have been lots of cornball stories about LLMs convincing gullible people they're god or whatever. but this latest one, about a 16-year-old who chatgpt taught how to successfully hang himself, is... well, look at it for yourself www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...
Fixation on the release of the "Epstein files" seems to have been a passing obsession for pro-Trump communities online. Interest, which skyrocketed in early July, has since subsided. Read more here: openmeasures.io/epstein-files/
Final graph before I tell you that you’ll have to go read the story: Something that surprised me was how much Bluesky out-powered other alternative platforms in our dataset as far as it concerned Epstein chatter. Here’s July to mid-August openmeasures.io/epstein-files/
Remember when Trump went on Truth Social and urged his supporters to move on from talking about Epstein? Here’s what those posts looked like against mentions of Epstein on that platform. Not the only factor in play, but interesting to see. openmeasures.io/epstein-files/
How bad was the Epstein Files scandal for Trump? On alt-platforms, the answer was “pretty darn bad.” openmeasures.io/epstein-files/
Has Trump’s online base moved on from the ‘Epstein Files’ scandal? In my first piece for @openmeasures.bsky.social, I ran the numbers. Of the alt-platforms I looked at, the only one keeping Epstein discussion alive was this one: Bluesky. openmeasures.io/epstein-files/
En route. He's figuring out the hosting stuff
I’ve said it before but there is a lot of power in saying no. It forces them to cross the line to do what they want. Will they still do it? Maybe. Who knows anymore. But you have to at least force them to spend resources and effort to do it. Make them deal with the full gravity, etc.
Chicago’s history is riddled with corrupt loser politicians. While it’s good that leaders are telling the feds to buzz off, organizers here are used to getting things done for themselves. Remember when they tried to do ICE raids here? They had a harder time because locals prepped those communities.
Out now: a two-hour deep dive into Anthony Cumia, who was once one of radio’s top personalities m. We chronicled his rise, the peak “Opie and Anthony” years, and his self-inflicted downfall. We were joined by Matt, an unofficial Cumia expert www.patreon.com/posts/137198...
He doesn't even know what he's signing. That's not what the Executive Order states. The EO is bad and should alarm "free speech warrior" types for other reasons, but "burn a flag, go to jail" is not what he signed. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Every day we get a new scandal that should be career-ending for people working at the highest levels of government but we see this stuff so often the public barely flinches. Today, we learn DHS isn't keeping text message records for its leaders americanoversight.org/american-ove...
To give some relevance: Many in the far right got a pay check thanks to this man and he has both appeared on and inspired Joe Rogan (namely to make a podcast).
I think Matt and Bryan would have a ton to talk about!
Something Awful posters in 2025
Yep. Been trying to emphasize this point for a long time. Huge portions of public discourse about college students are almost fictional.
You don't tell the story of modern politics without the shock jocks of yesteryear. Real excited for this one.
Available on all the major podcast players now! Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s... Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3ctY... And everywhere else!
Out now: a two-hour deep dive into Anthony Cumia, who was once one of radio’s top personalities m. We chronicled his rise, the peak “Opie and Anthony” years, and his self-inflicted downfall. We were joined by Matt, an unofficial Cumia expert www.patreon.com/posts/137198...
Out today: @jaredlholt.bsky.social and I talk to an unofficial Anthony Cumia historian, “Matt,” about how the shock jock became notorious — and influenced a generation on the racist right. Long one, and it’s a banger: open.substack.com/pub/postthro...
Out tomorrow AM!
Starting next month, the Posting Through It podcast is going twice a week! Each Monday, we’ll have a full-length episode in the main feed. Each Thursday, we’ll have a premium episode for our Patreon supporters. Sign up before Aug 31 for 50% off your first month. patreon.com/PostingThrou...
You can entirely discount the “crime” narrative. It is bullshit. Domestic law enforcement is not a job for the military. Ordering the US military to do it is illegal, unamerican, and wrong. That’s true even if the White House weren’t lying about crime, which they blatantly are, making things worse.
the reason this discourse will never end is because it is completely untethered from any kind of evidentiary standard. as long as there is a 19-year-old barista somewhere saying “cultural appropriation,” guys like nichols will complain that “democrats” use alienating language.
The only things that hurts more than my brain after reading this sentence is knowing that TCW undoubtedly makes gobs more money than I do as a competent writer
That and maybe a lobotomy
I have a high tolerance for gross just based on what I do for a career, but this one was brutal. These "Who the Hell" episodes take ton of a time and effort to produce. If you like them, please consider supporting our show on Patreon www.patreon.com/PostingThrou...
Good god that was a lot of work but we've got your next podcast episode ready for rollout. Coming up next on Posting Through It: "Who the Hell is Anthony Cumia?" Two hours loaded to the gills with wild and shocking details about the famed shock-jock's life and career. Out Monday!
You can also listen to my podcast on the mainstreaming of white nationalism — and DeAnna’s role in it — with @jaredlholt.bsky.social and @michaelehayden.bsky.social here. www.patreon.com/posts/136475...
"Age verification" laws are actually "upload your ID or get your face scanned to access every website, ending anonymity and associating your identity with everything you do online" laws and if more people understood that they would not be down for this authoritarian nonsense
No way these guitars have less than a 95% profit margin
Photo can’t do justice to how beautiful this instrument was. Completely flawless, sounded gorgeous, played smoother than silk. Everything you could want in spades. Unfortunately it costs more than my car
Got to play a Languedoc today. Asked how much it costs and handed it back as fast as I could. Insanely great instrument but the most expensive guitar I’ve ever played by a looooooooooong shot
It's a very good podcast.
Uh... Hi, everyone. You might like our podcast... patreon.com/PostingThroughIt
Worth also noting that the federal government made substantial progress toward ending veteran homelessness, and Trump has announced via executive order that he's planning to reverse all of that progress. The new plan is just incarceration. www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
What's gone unsaid in all this talk about homeless people in DC is that so many in the Capital are veterans who are now having the military aimed back at them for the crime of being poor.
A must-listen.