# dept (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 4 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover dept. Page: Feed: --- ## [Washington Policy Review: August 22, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-22) _2026-08-23 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ Trump touts White House complex project; State Dept holds APEC talks in China; Newsom signs new California legislation ## [Washington Policy Review: August 21, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-21) _2026-08-22 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ Trump visits South Carolina; HHS confirms Mark Cruz as Indian Health Service Director; Governor Newsom announces one million families claimed CalKIDS accounts ## [Washington Policy Review: August 20, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-20) _2026-08-21 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ Trump launches space initiative; Treasury sanctions Iran-linked smuggling; Newsom awards $11.3M for housing ## [The NFL Preseason Is Even Dumber Than You Think](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/the-nfl-preseason-is-even-dumber) _2026-08-21 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ High cost. Low quality. Look away. ## [Washington Policy Review: August 19, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-19) _2026-08-20 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ Trump reshapes auto industry; Treasury restricts tax credits; Newsom expands universal schooling. ## [Pete Crow-Armstrong Does Home Runs Right](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/pete-crow-armstrong-does-home-runs) _2026-08-20 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ Our MLB guru Matt Musico gives us the skinny on the Chicago Cubs MVP candidate’s longball prowess. ## [Dept of Houston](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22246) _2026-08-19 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ This guy’s work is really, really nice, and is the first thing I’ve seen that tugs at my heart a little about my adopted hometown. I couldn’t go back — the heat, the Greg Abbott, the worthless mayor, the traffic, … Continue reading → ## [Chicago Bears: I Was Totally Right About Jordan van den Berg](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/chicago-bears-i-was-totally-right) _2026-08-19 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ As I boldly predicted, the Bears' day-three rookie D-lineman shone in his NFL debut. ## [Washington Policy Review: August 18, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-18) _2026-08-19 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ President Trump delays Canadian tariffs; State Dept sanctions ICC officials; Governor Pritzker demands answers on USS Lincoln ## [No Sports Today, Just a Link To My New Single](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/no-sports-today-just-a-link-to-my) _2026-08-18 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ Guys, check out my new jam, a solo electric bass reworking of Milton Nascimento's classic, "Ponta de Areia," courtesy of Gold Note Records. ## [Licensed Dispensaries, Pay with Crypto (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/9kZyW2VTq7cx) _2026-08-18 · **Sponsored**_ Search verified licensed dispensaries and pay with Bitcoin, Lightning, or stablecoins. ## [Washington Policy Review: August 17, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-17) _2026-08-18 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ President Trump implements new prescription drug policies; Department of War mandates research security audits; Governor Newsom signs legislation facilitating gig worker unionization. ## [Washington Policy Review: August 16, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-16) _2026-08-17 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ Trump reduces military drills with South Korea; State Dept congratulates Indonesia on independence; Trump celebrates Mecca Joint Defence Agreement ## [Chicago Bulls 2026-27 Schedule: 6 Must-See Games You Don't Really Need To See](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/chicago-bulls-2026-27-schedule-6) _2026-08-17 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ The 2026-27 NBA schedule dropped last week, and it'll be tough to get hyped about the 30-52 Chicago Bulls. But it's my job to write about this kind of thing, so here we are. ## [Washington Policy Review: August 15, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-15) _2026-08-17 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ Trump demands end to daylight savings; State Dept recognizes Liechtenstein; State Dept honors Congo independence ## [Washington Policy Review: August 14, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-14) _2026-08-15 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ President Trump honors WWII victory; State Department pledges earthquake aid to Colombia; Governor Pritzker signs Illinois flood relief bill. ## [We Automated a News Medium. Now We've Automated Social Media.](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/we-automated-a-news-medium-now-weve) _2026-08-14 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ Introducing Noctral. ## [What Has Two Thumbs and Just Landed a Book Deal? This Guy.](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/what-has-two-thumbs-and-just-landed) _2026-08-14 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ After almost 20 years, I finally figured out an angle for a Miles Davis biography. But it's not a biography. But it is. But it isn't. But it is. ## [Washington Policy Review: August 13, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-13) _2026-08-14 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ Trump orders Navy shipbuilding overhaul; State Dept eliminates DEI initiatives; Governor Newsom launches data broker enforcement. ## [Washington Policy Review: August 12, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-12) _2026-08-13 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ Trump launches private-sector cyber-surveillance; State Dept forms Birth Tourism task force; Governor Newsom expands California’s AI access for state employees ## [Best of Chicago Sports Stuff, Music Dept.: The Finest Albums You've Never Heard](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/best-of-chicago-sports-stuff-music-cbe) _2026-08-13 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ I'll be making a major music-centric career announcement on Friday, so to build up anticipation (#marketing), I'll revisit some of my favorite music-centric Chicago Sports Stuff pieces. ## [Save with community-voted codes (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/BLpOFXmoU5Zx) _2026-08-13 · **Sponsored**_ Search thousands of community-verified coupon codes — 100% free, no account needed. ## [Best of Chicago Sports Stuff, Music Dept.: The Best and Worst Bass Lesson Ever](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/best-of-chicago-sports-stuff-music-974) _2026-08-12 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ I'll be making a major music-centric career announcement on Friday, so to build up anticipation (#marketing), I'll revisit some of my favorite music-centric Chicago Sports Stuff pieces. ## [Washington Policy Review: August 11, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-11) _2026-08-12 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ President Trump visits Ohio for Patriot Games; HHS ends federal funding for minor transition procedures; Governor Newsom launches the California Teen Tech Council. ## [Best of Chicago Sports Stuff, Music Dept.:Alan Goldsher’s 133 Tracks, Ranked](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/best-of-chicago-sports-stuff-music-8c3) _2026-08-11 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ I'll be making a major music-centric career announcement on Friday, so to build up anticipation (#marketing), I'll revisit some of my favorite music-centric Chicago Sports Stuff pieces. ## [Washington Policy Review: August 10, 2026](https://washingtonpolicyreview.substack.com/p/washington-policy-review-august-10) _2026-08-11 · Washington Policy Review · Washington Policy Review_ Trump signs childhood vaccine order; State Dept revokes 175,000 visas; Governor Newsom launches AI cyber defense program ## [Best of Chicago Sports Stuff, Music Dept.: Donald Trump Heard Me Play Bass. He Wasn't Impressed](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/best-of-chicago-sports-stuff-music) _2026-08-10 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ I'll be making a major music-centric career announcement on Friday, so to build up anticipation (#marketing), I'll revisit some of my favorite music-centric Chicago Sports Stuff pieces. ## [MiscHeathen / NoGators Throwback: My review of Sam Shepard’s “La Turista” at Atomic Cafe, May, 1999](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22244) _2026-08-09 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ This ran in the now defunct Houston s Other. It s a wild artifact to consider, but I m posting it here and now because Wayne noted the play itself was TWENTY SEVEN YEARS AGO, and that seems impossible. Time, man. It ll get Continue reading ## [Chicago Bears 2026 Fantasy Football Stock Watch, 2.0: Lifting Our Burden](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/chicago-bears-2026-fantasy-football-4c1) _2026-08-07 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ Two Bears pass catchers are elite fantasy options. Two Bears rushers, not so much. ## [Dept of Problematic Men](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22242) _2026-08-06 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ So, Glen Hansard died last week. Yes, ONCE was a good movie. Yes, Falling Slowly is a good song. But Hansard was at BEST problematic. His partner in Swell Season (and ONCE) was Marketa Irglova, whom he met when he Continue reading ## [Bears Training Camp: An Open Letter to Chicago's Media Relations Department](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/bears-training-camp-an-open-letter) _2026-08-06 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ Substackers are people too. ## [Cubs and White Sox Trade Deadline Breakdown — Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down Edition](https://chicagosportsstuff.substack.com/p/cubs-and-white-sox-trade-deadline-174) _2026-08-05 · Chicago Sports Stuff · Chicago Sports Stuff by Alan Goldsher_ Our MLB guru Matt Musico tells us if, when, and how Chicago's contending baseball teams — and yes, they're both contenders — set themselves for the rest of 2026. ## [AI QA that opens fix PRs (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/SrwEL4fiNbbx) _2026-08-05 · **Sponsored**_ Run a browser QA from plain-English instructions; get GitHub issues and optional fix PRs. ## [Dept. of Name Collision, or, It’s Weird That It’s Happened Twice](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22232) _2026-07-28 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ Do you follow, or are aware of, more than one public figure by the same name? Turns out, I do. Warrens Ellis Warren Ellis, writer The first Warren Ellis in my own media diet is the English comic book writer Continue reading ## [Home, again](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22224) _2026-07-20 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ One year ago today, I took this selfie: This is the story of how I got here. We moved separately, kinda. On Monday, July 14th of last year, the packers showed up at 209 West Drew back in Houston. Erin Continue reading ## [This is the finest bit of Internet Weirdness I’ve seen in YEARS](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22211) _2026-07-09 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ Bombs over Big Bird is a spectacular mashup of Sesame Street, Hitchcocks s The Birds, and Outkast s 2000 banger B.O.B. Do not miss this. ## [Dept. of Records Redux: Pogačar Watch](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22209) _2026-07-07 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ Two years ago I wrote about Mark Cavendish beating Eddy Merckx s stage win record at the TdF: Until today, the record for Most Stage Wins in the Tour was held by cycling god Eddy Merckx, a Belgium rider who dominated Continue reading ## [Patricia Lockwood at a Tradcath Wedding](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22207) _2026-07-01 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ This is just what it says on the tin, and is HILARIOUS. Lockwood has previously been featured here eviscerting John Updike, meeting the pope, and discussing David Foster Wallace. BTW, that last link includes me urging you to read the Continue reading ## [Dept. of Unexpected (?) Covers](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22204) _2026-06-30 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ In 2006, my friends at Infernal Bridegroom Productions collaborated with Austin musician and outsider artist Daniel Johnston to create a rock opera based on his work. The result, Speeding Motorcycle, was a local hit. It traced the arc of Daniel s Continue reading ## [Dept. of Tab-Clearing, Literary Edition](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22202) _2026-06-24 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ This long article about David Foster Wallace s sister has been on open for weeks, and I only just got to reading it. It s pretty remarkable. Make time. ## [When bands become their own cover bands](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22200) _2026-06-16 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ There exist no end of bands that have toured, or continue to tour, well past their sell-by dates. Often, the modern lineup of the bands have only nominal overlap with the version of the group that recorded the hits. The Continue reading ## [I have no plans to see \*Disclosure Day\*](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22198) _2026-06-16 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ This blurb at Ars Technica really kind of sums it up sorta: They go too far in praising Spielberg; I don t think he s been an interesting director in a long, long time. He was always a little hit or Continue reading ## [The Greater Jack Ryan Cinematic Universe, according to Prime](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22194) _2026-06-09 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ We watched the new Ryan film (it s bad). After we were done, Amazon had suggestions from the broader continuity: If you re taking notes, that s: Two different Jacks Ryan; Two different Jacks Reacher; An actual spin-off of the Ryan universe starring Continue reading ## [This is a vicious and entirely deserved takedown](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22191) _2026-05-26 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ Current Affairs: The Banal Horror of Jimmy Fallon. It begins: There is a distinctive, deeply uncanny horror to the way Jimmy Fallon laughs. Look it up—there are literally hundreds of videos showing him breaking out into laughter at the slightest Continue reading ## [Today in wild pieces of pop culture trivia](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22188) _2026-05-13 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ By now most people who read Heathen are, I m sure, aware of the SNL trio Please Don t Destroy, which is comprised of Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy. They make jokes about the fact that Higgins and Herlihy are Continue reading ## [Important News: Ryan Coogler is a Coffee Nerd](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22186) _2026-04-24 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ No, really. ## [Will Canada go for a split F-35-Gripen fighter jet fleet?](https://www.espritdecorps.ca/feature/will-canada-go-for-a-split-f-35-gripen-fighter-jet-fleet) _2026-04-15 · Social Media Manager · Features - espritdecorps_ Canada’s fighter jet decision remains unresolved as Prime Minister Mark Carney reviews the F-35 deal. Debate centres on a potential mixed fleet of F-35s and Saab Gripens, balancing cost, sovereignty, and interoperability. Industrial benefits, geopolitical tensions, and defence priorities continue to shape one of Canada’s most consequential military procurement choices. ## [Future Aircrew Training takes flight](https://www.espritdecorps.ca/feature/future-aircrew-training-takes-flight) _2026-04-14 · Social Media Manager · Features - espritdecorps_ Canada’s Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program is modernizing Royal Canadian Air Force pilot training through a 25-year contract with SkyAlyne. The initiative includes 71 new aircraft, advanced simulators, and upgraded infrastructure. Combining multiple legacy programs, FAcT will deliver streamlined, technology-driven training led by military and civilian instructors. ## [How Old is Spider-Man?](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22184) _2026-03-19 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ This article about the upcoming film Spider-Man: Brand New Day includes an interesting line: Holland himself has wondered how long it will be before he ages out of the role So I wondered: How old has Spidey been? Tobey Maguire Continue reading ## [My new favorite genre](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22182) _2026-03-18 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ Chill mixes by puppets on YouTube. ## [Because I was asked (& also happy birthday to me)](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22180) _2026-03-17 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ Friday was my 56th birthday, and for me it was an especially auspicious one because it was the rare birthday of mine that falls on a Friday the 13th just as my actual birth did in 1970. I mean, Continue reading ## [The Long Tail of the Lightning Connector](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22177) _2026-03-17 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ Apple haters love to claim that Cupertino swaps connectors out like changing pants, which is objectively hilarious because the iPod/iPhone connector had changed only once until recently: from the legacy 30-pin connector to the proprietary-to-Apple Lightning plug introduced in 2012 Continue reading ## [In which we reup the links](http://mischeathen.com/?p=22175) _2026-03-16 · chet · Miscellaneous Heathen_ In conversation with a certain longtime reader, it came up that he d missed a few Early Web Gems. I m sure I linked them here before, but those old links are almost certainly dead and even if they weren t, some Continue reading