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btbaum.bsky.social
Author, freelance reporter, dog-lover, recovering editor; bylines in San Francisco Mag, LA Times, NYT, Cal Academy Science Today, Catamaran Literary Mag. Remember when generalists armed w/ curiosity made for good journalism?
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The 80-year recipe stoking America’s Prosperity: 1) Free-market capital investments in brilliant ideas… 2) enabled by Engineering Innovations… 3) based on Science Research in Universities… 4) funded by Grants from the US Government. It’s time more people understood this.

submitted 3 days ago • 389 comments

Why would I need to read Joan Didion's "Notes to John" when I'm already listening to the audio version of Lili Anolik's "Didion and Babitz"? And just, wow, I am loving Anolik's heartfelt, gossipy, well-researched portrait of Eve Babitz. I love Didion, too, always have. But Babitz is the revelation.

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

Celebrate the power of place this May for #PreservationMonth with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Learn more about this year’s theme, Harnessing the Power of Place, and the countless ways that preservation creates. savingplaces.org/stories/pres...

submitted 17 days ago • 0 comments

@sarahkendzior.bsky.social Looking forward to your San Francisco appearance at the Commonwealth Club tomorrow! I will be one of many watching via their Zoom link. Thank you for your many years of bravery and insight!

submitted 42 days ago • 1 comment

@corybooker.com Thank you for yr historic filibuster! May our united rage at the actions taken by this appalling, regime move us towards repairing the public commons, safety net, separation of power w/ three co-equal branches of government, respect for our friends & allies and due process for ALL!

submitted 48 days ago • 0 comments

I’m a little early. #AWP25

submitted 54 days ago • 0 comments

I already bought more books than I can carry home and #AWP25 hasn’t even officially started. On the other hand, my friend took me to North Figueroa Bookstore - what was I supposed to do? Wait till we went to Skylight Books? The Last Bookstore? AWP’s mammoth Bookfair? C’mon. Be real. #booksky

submitted 56 days ago • 0 comments

Heading to Los Angeles for #AWP25 and listening to the audio version of Didion & Babitz about women, literature, and the storied LA scene of the 60s and 70s. It’s narrated by the author Lili Anolik, who voices this memoir/deeply researched hybrid. An era this hometown girl always finds fascinating.

submitted 57 days ago • 1 comment

Took my first class from "Five Things I Learned" w/ poet Matthew Zapruder. Channeling imagination --> production is always a stretch. But now? Much harder. Grateful that M.Z. shared ways to "touch your novel (poem, etc) every day & keep our creative lights on." myfivethings.com/class/metthe...

submitted 60 days ago • 0 comments

Thanks, @tomandlorenzo.bsky.social! I've much to say about dogs, music, theater, books, history. I'll start with this pandemic-era photo of YOUR BOOK. It was a Xmas present to fellow board members of Rainbow Honor Walk. We all loved your seriously rich scholarship wrapped in a package of fabulous.

submitted 60 days ago • 1 comment