Scott Mason

Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:

NEW: @propublica.org investigated the Chicago apartment raid where kids were zip-tied and citizens detained for hours. They find:

- NONE of the arrested were criminally charged
- NO evidence the building was "filled with TdA terrorists."
- ZERO legitimate reason for DHS to rappel from a Blackhawk.

multiple states are declaring food emergencies as the president holds decadent parties with showgirls and builds a golden ballroom

Closing Central Madrid To Cars Resulted In 9.5% Boost To Retail Spending, Finds Bank Analysis City of Madrid significantly boosted the takings of its shops and restaurants last Christmas by banning cars from the CBD, finds an analysis by Spain's second largest bank.

Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central #Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.

There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.

Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople

The soft dig of filming in front of the Chicago Michigan Ave Apple Store at night was pretty nice.

Rivian CEO Says China's 'Cars Are Actually Better:' TDS Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said everyone's fixation on Chinese automaker's cost is all wrong.

www.thedrive.com/news/rivian-...

@zamafir.bsky.social Acceptance is the first step?

OpenAI really gunning to test out a bold new world of limitation of liability clauses at scale

Trump fucked up the U.S. economy even faster this time than he did during his first term.

I’m pretty stoked for BMW above all European manufacturers honestly. I think they are best positioned to have the driving dynamics down without being as unobtainable as the Porsches, which I think is how adoption will hit home for the biggest advocates for cars: the enthusiasts.

Mary Shelley doesn't get enough credit for not only anticipating the silver-spooned narcissist techbro who recklessly creates technology without thinking through the consequences, but also for knowing that said techbro would be an absolutely terrible father.

Selfie while riding bike on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago

Shot of cyclists riding northbound on Lakeshore Drive, skyline of Chicago in the background

Shot of overall distance in the ride, totaling over 24 miles.

Bike the Drive is one of my favorite days of the year now

Figure 2 from https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMsb2506929

FDA is authorizing anybody with a risk factor from this list to receive the vaccines, as well as anybody 65+.

To Boost Housing, Chicago Kills Parking Minimums As part of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s efforts to eliminate zoning rules that block new home construction, the city joins a national parking policy reform movement.

My latest for @bloomberg.com Citylab:
Parking reform might be the rare issue that Chicagoans can agree on

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

This isn't an "administrative error." Every single federal employee receives record keeping training.

The next administration needs to prosecute everyone responsible for this. Yes, there are bigger abuses we'll need to prosecute too, but records are paramount.

As we approach the 20th Anniversary of the Roberts Court, here is my list of the Top Ten Worst Con Law Cases of his Court. Boy was that a hard list to whittle down and no doubt people will disagree with some omissions but the harm to America is truly awful. www.dorfonlaw.org/2025/08/mour...

Illinois SNAP Education program eliminated amid federal cuts: ‘It’s heartbreaking’ SNAP-Ed has partnered with Chicago organizations to address the root causes of health disparities. Now, the 30-year program is being dismantled.

Illinois SNAP Education program eliminated amid federal cuts. This covered nutrition basics, helped folks build kitchen skills and learn how to stretch their food stamps. Story by Kate Armanini www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/16/i...

Meta’s AI rules have let bots hold ‘sensual’ chats with children An internal Meta policy document reveals the social-media giant’s rules for chatbots, which have permitted provocative behavior on topics including sex and race.

🤖 What many already knew. Helpful proof, reporting, documentation from @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social: Meta allowing sensual roleplay with kids, promoting discrimination, giving false medical info. But listen, there's a tech PR trick I need to draw your attention to here. 🧵
www.reuters.com/investigates...

The thing is, it’s a more important piece of white American history.

Oof.

it was always obvious DOGE was decorative "innovative efficiency" cover for the brutal dismantling of corporate oversight and the social safety net, but the press spent first six months of the year propping it up as a good-faith effort

Fascism is here. We are not “getting closer” or “in danger of.”

This matters because it frames our discussion: We aren’t trying to prevent it, we’re trying to defeat it. It’s not taking over our institutions, it’s taken them over.

Otherwise, we’re always behind, fighting a past we’ve already lost.

🤖 Thanks to the many experts who responded to me to help me unpack the new landmark AI bill from Illinois! Sharing a thread of my summary of what I've learned about it and how significant it is (It's significant!!) 🧵
statescoop.com/illinois-ban...

SCOOP: ⁦‪Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer‬⁩’s administration re-evaluating long-planned I-375 reconstruction project in downtown Detroit

www.detroitnews.com/story/news/p...

via @craigmauger.bsky.social

The road to authoritarianism is littered with people telling you you’re overreacting.

Little Rock, the capital city of Tom Cotton's home state of Arkansas, has one of the highest violent crime rates of any city in the United States.

D.C. doesn't even crack the top-10.

U.S. Government to Take Cut of Nvidia and AMD A.I. Chip Sales to China

What if instead of weird one-off extortion schemes the government just collected meaningful and stable amounts of corporate tax revenue hmmm www.nytimes.com/2025/08/10/t...

This has got to be symbolic of... something...

SEPTA announced 45% cuts because PA didn't pass a transit funding bill.
wwww.septa.org/fundingcrisis/

If IL doesn't pass a bill, we'll see 40% Chicagoland cuts.
www.rtachicago.org/about-rta/pr...

Illinois lawmakers: Please take action so we get Chicago-style transit service, not Philly-style!