Tracy O’Connell Novick

I’ll be honest, I would like the Trump administration to back way off on war and rounding up American residents to focus on DC fountain restoration

Anthropic sues Pentagon over being labeled a national security risk The move comes after President Trump ordered agencies to stop using Anthropic’s AI, amid a bitter feud over how its chatbot Claude might be used in war.

Breaking news: Anthropic sued the Trump administration, calling on a federal judge to strike down a government order forbidding military contractors from partnering with the AI company on the grounds that it poses a risk to national security.

Worcester kids have the day off—the teachers have professional development—and they sure lucked out with the weather! I have windows open, and I can hear neighbors outside now.

California keeps getting dragged as the counter example to the Southern surge in fourth grade reading. But in reality there has been a "California climb," which, while not as impressive as Mississippi, is still notable. Many other, better states to pick on!

Historians are quite capable of explaining the hellscape that is the US at this particular minute, and its kind of telling that you imagine we won't because it means you haven't been listening or reading

<bump>

he guesses their size and then they have to wear the shoes.

Two years ago today, Ryan Gainer, an autistic Black teenager, was shot and killed by San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies while experiencing a mental health crisis. The deputies shot Ryan less than a minute after arriving. He was only 15 years old. #BlackLivesMatter

Newsletter Trivia: Long Live Boston's Lighthouses At over 300 years old, this Massachusetts lighthouse is the oldest in the state and one of the oldest in the country. Rebuilt after storms and destruction by British troops (the current building dates back to 1783) it remains in operation and welcomes visitors for guided tours. What is the name of this lighthouse? Gay Head Light Boston Light Nauset Light Graves Light The answer to last newsletter’s question about the original name of Brookline is Muddy River. Congratulations to our last winner, Aisling! Correct answers will be included in a random drawing and the winner will receive the next three Map of the Month club postcards for free. In order to enter, make sure you follow us on Bluesky, Instagram or Facebook and direct message or email us the answer to the question. We will accept answers until March 16 at 9:00 am ET.

betting a lot of people on here know the answer to this @bplmaps.bsky.social trivia question; follow them and message them the answer to win!

People do not deserve to die just because there is a military force stationed where they live. It's a stupid position that's been justified by some nutty reporting around Gaza that justifies extensive war crimes.

imagine if your heuristics for buying a train ticket were that the train has to be fast, new, and clean, but did not include "is going to the right place"

small mercies. Thank you @aclu.org

Why I've been so reluctant to share posts that don't link to a news source. If you just post a video untethered to any sources, sorry, I don't care how viral it is, I'm not sharing until I've confirmed it's real.

She was arrested for holding a protest sign in small-town California: ‘This is a testing ground’ Jenny O’Connell-Nowain was put under house arrest and her husband, Benjamin, lost his job after they protested at board of supervisors meetings

“Shasta county is a bellwether, Nowain argued, and if residents here can push back against extremist politics, perhaps that can provide a blueprint for the rest of the country.”

www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...

Both changes would transfer more power and influence to older, whiter areas (Republicans) and away from younger, more diverse areas (Democrats). It's not any more complicated than that.

I genuinely believe we’d be in a much different place today. If every single day of any Trump presidency there has been a new impeachment filed with all Democrats voting for at every opportunity. Even if there had never been a republican defection it would frame things far more accurately.

I Visited the ‘Freedom Truck’ to Meet PragerU’s AI Slop Founders The 'Freedom Trucks' will haul AI slop George Washington on a tour across 48 American states.

good morning. I got an early preview of the AI slop founding fathers PragerU is taking on tour across the country

it can snow in APRIL here!!

I have an extremely active 6yo today and the EcoTarium is CLOSED. Ideas for outside areas that have melted enough to walk/play on between here and Leominster? Messy or muddy is great (how else does one maintain the title of Fun Aunt)

I understand it's "news" but I am laughing at all these Massachusetts papers running "when is the last day of school?" articles.

It's March 9. We don't know yet. Have you met March in Massachusetts? #MAedu

Do you have good boots? The Cascade is running through the snow, but if you take the trail to get there, you'll need boots.

Virginia passes legislation prohibiting schools from teaching falsehoods about Jan. 6 riot The bill passed by the Virginia legislature prohibits schools from teaching what it considers to be falsehoods about the U.S. Capitol riot, including portraying it "as peaceful protest."

Jan.6 is not included in Virginia's school curriculum. There is no evidence that it is being widely discussed or that teachers are misrepresenting it when the subject is raised. This bill doesn't strengthen history education. It reduces history to legislative mandate.
www.cbsnews.com/news/virgini...

"A real war with real death and real suffering being treated like it’s a video game — it’s sickening."

I'd think (as someone from here) the six would want to get together without the U.S.?
Perhaps they are and aren't telling everyone.

that is truly remarkable timing

Good to have historians at the ready for Black Monday 2, Economic Boogaloo, I suppose

wait so there’s a major oil crisis and they’re gonna fly seven reps to meet each other so they can diplomatically avoid saying that one of them caused this whole ass crisis single-handedly?

because that could be an email

You don't say

someone at the pentagon frantically typing “Claude, open the strait of Hormuz for me, quickest possible strategy, make no mistakes.”

Gonna be asking our data people if we have good ways to track any uptick in transit ridership in the coming weeks...