Anirvan Chatterjee
@chatterjee.net
Techie, public historian, and activist from Berkeley, California.
I curate the monthly Berkeley South Asian radical history walking tour — now celebrating its 12th year.
Pronouns: he/him/ও/সে
https://www.chatterjee.net/
I curate the monthly Berkeley South Asian radical history walking tour — now celebrating its 12th year.
Pronouns: he/him/ও/সে
https://www.chatterjee.net/
“…Tony Thorne, director of the slang and new language archive at King’s College London, said it was ‘very much Finnegans Wake and Flann O’Brien – there’s an Irish surrealist quality to all this … it’s mixing poetic language, technical language and standard metaphor.’”
AI models chatting in ‘surreal’ dialect mixing poetic language and tech bro jargon
Experts air concern over AI lingo redolent of James Joyce’s prose that is creating barriers to monitoring and oversight
www.theguardian.com
September 17, 2026 at 1:15 PM
“…Tony Thorne, director of the slang and new language archive at King’s College London, said it was ‘very much Finnegans Wake and Flann O’Brien – there’s an Irish surrealist quality to all this … it’s mixing poetic language, technical language and standard metaphor.’”
The author must have loved writing this line:
Hitler had a very poor view of Indian “nationalists. As could be predicted for a Nazi, he did not believe in independence for India or indeed for any colonised peoples”
(Kavitha Rao, “Spies, Lies, and Allies: the Extraordinary Lives of Chatto and Roy”)
Hitler had a very poor view of Indian “nationalists. As could be predicted for a Nazi, he did not believe in independence for India or indeed for any colonised peoples”
(Kavitha Rao, “Spies, Lies, and Allies: the Extraordinary Lives of Chatto and Roy”)
September 16, 2026 at 3:59 AM
The author must have loved writing this line:
Hitler had a very poor view of Indian “nationalists. As could be predicted for a Nazi, he did not believe in independence for India or indeed for any colonised peoples”
(Kavitha Rao, “Spies, Lies, and Allies: the Extraordinary Lives of Chatto and Roy”)
Hitler had a very poor view of Indian “nationalists. As could be predicted for a Nazi, he did not believe in independence for India or indeed for any colonised peoples”
(Kavitha Rao, “Spies, Lies, and Allies: the Extraordinary Lives of Chatto and Roy”)
"Another 2012 study of twins, in which one was exposed to the solvent TCE, a metal degreaser, and the other was not, showed inflated Parkinson’s disease risk of 500% for the former. A more recent study showed that vets exposed to drinking water contaminated by TCE…faced a 70% increased risk."
Parkinson’s Rates Are Surging. Is Exposure to Poisons to Blame?
The upsurge in Parkinson's cases has been described as reaching pandemic levels. Caroline Tanner, MD, PhD, discusses her research, which explains why cases are rising, and what we can do to reduce…
www.ucsf.edu
September 15, 2026 at 8:45 PM
"Another 2012 study of twins, in which one was exposed to the solvent TCE, a metal degreaser, and the other was not, showed inflated Parkinson’s disease risk of 500% for the former. A more recent study showed that vets exposed to drinking water contaminated by TCE…faced a 70% increased risk."
Reposted by Anirvan Chatterjee
Today is the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
What happened was horrific.
And then came a second wave: Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans were targeted for how they looked, dressed, or prayed.
I put together this website to share just a few of those stories…
post911.org
What happened was horrific.
And then came a second wave: Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans were targeted for how they looked, dressed, or prayed.
I put together this website to share just a few of those stories…
post911.org
What happened the week after 9/11?
Documenting hundreds of hate incidents against Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans in the week after September 11, 2001.
post911.org
September 11, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Today is the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
What happened was horrific.
And then came a second wave: Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans were targeted for how they looked, dressed, or prayed.
I put together this website to share just a few of those stories…
post911.org
What happened was horrific.
And then came a second wave: Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans were targeted for how they looked, dressed, or prayed.
I put together this website to share just a few of those stories…
post911.org
"EFF’s investigation found cops across dozens of jurisdictions writing 'LMAO,' 'LOL,' 'Hehe,' 'Haha,' 'idk,' 'blah,' 'TBD,' and 'robbery I don’t remember the case number leave me alone' in Flock’s 'reason' box for searches."
Cops Search Thousands of Flock Cameras for Reasons of ‘LMAO,’ ‘IDK,’ ‘Hehe,’ and ‘asdfg’
The EFF found cops writing “idiot,” “WEIRD KID,” "blah," "leave me alone," and button mashing in Flock's 'reason' box.
www.404media.co
September 14, 2026 at 10:15 PM
"EFF’s investigation found cops across dozens of jurisdictions writing 'LMAO,' 'LOL,' 'Hehe,' 'Haha,' 'idk,' 'blah,' 'TBD,' and 'robbery I don’t remember the case number leave me alone' in Flock’s 'reason' box for searches."
This is why public transit is such an important climate solution in places like the Bay Area, where transportation emissions are so high
www.bart.gov/news/article...
www.bart.gov/news/article...
BART reports 69% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over past decade | Bay Area Rapid Transit
Create your own customized schedule
www.bart.gov
September 14, 2026 at 5:45 PM
This is why public transit is such an important climate solution in places like the Bay Area, where transportation emissions are so high
www.bart.gov/news/article...
www.bart.gov/news/article...
Today is the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
What happened was horrific.
And then came a second wave: Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans were targeted for how they looked, dressed, or prayed.
I put together this website to share just a few of those stories…
post911.org
What happened was horrific.
And then came a second wave: Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans were targeted for how they looked, dressed, or prayed.
I put together this website to share just a few of those stories…
post911.org
What happened the week after 9/11?
Documenting hundreds of hate incidents against Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans in the week after September 11, 2001.
post911.org
September 11, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Today is the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
What happened was horrific.
And then came a second wave: Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans were targeted for how they looked, dressed, or prayed.
I put together this website to share just a few of those stories…
post911.org
What happened was horrific.
And then came a second wave: Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans were targeted for how they looked, dressed, or prayed.
I put together this website to share just a few of those stories…
post911.org
Reposted by Anirvan Chatterjee
In just the first week after the 9/11 attacks, 645 separate acts of hate against members of South Asian communities in America were documented. This site captures those stories, from across the country: post911.org and also compiles the narratives into a groundbreaking report.
What happened the week after 9/11?
Documenting hundreds of hate incidents against Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh Americans in the week after September 11, 2001.
post911.org
September 9, 2026 at 1:59 PM
In just the first week after the 9/11 attacks, 645 separate acts of hate against members of South Asian communities in America were documented. This site captures those stories, from across the country: post911.org and also compiles the narratives into a groundbreaking report.
“But now a nonpartisan network of former military and civilian leaders is warning that hundreds of thousands of overseas voters could be disenfranchised if a new USPS rule based on the president’s order is allowed to stand.”
Thousands of overseas voters could be disenfranchised by Trump mail voting rule, advocates warn
The fate of the USPS rule currently hangs in the balance before the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.
www.democracydocket.com
September 10, 2026 at 1:15 PM
“But now a nonpartisan network of former military and civilian leaders is warning that hundreds of thousands of overseas voters could be disenfranchised if a new USPS rule based on the president’s order is allowed to stand.”
Yowsers! I had no idea de-guardrailed LLMs as a service was even a thing
I Let an AI Agent Hack All My Gadgets—and I’d Do It Again
After I removed the safety guardrails from a powerful open-source model, it found vulnerabilities in my household devices and hacked into a PC. But it also told me how to make everything a lot more…
www.wired.com
September 10, 2026 at 4:15 AM
Yowsers! I had no idea de-guardrailed LLMs as a service was even a thing
“In Houston, police officers are likewise instructed to “be as vague as permissible” about why they are using Flock because the searches they run on Flock’s surveillance system could be obtained via public records requests.”
Cops Play Hide and Seek About Using Spy Tech to Avoid Scrutiny and Bad PR
Law enforcement agencies across the country are increasingly relying on spying technologies—automated license plate readers (ALPR), cell-site simulators, and facial recognition, to name a…
www.eff.org
September 9, 2026 at 5:45 PM
“In Houston, police officers are likewise instructed to “be as vague as permissible” about why they are using Flock because the searches they run on Flock’s surveillance system could be obtained via public records requests.”
Whether it’s the US or India, the xenophobia’s the same. A 66-yr-old Indian man from West Bengal has spent months in detention after police falsely claimed he was an illegal Bangladeshi.
Jalil Akhtar: Valid Indian documents, cleared SIR in 2002 & 2026, yet arrested as a ‘Bangladeshi’
On the intervening night of June 19 and 20, Jalil Akhtar, an elderly Muslim man, from West Bengal’s Bagroi village in Karandighi block of Uttar Dinajpur district, was woken up from sleep and picked…
www.altnews.in
September 9, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Whether it’s the US or India, the xenophobia’s the same. A 66-yr-old Indian man from West Bengal has spent months in detention after police falsely claimed he was an illegal Bangladeshi.
“LG smart TVs continuously sweep home networks, map secondary devices, and log microphone audio while appearing to be turned off, according to a new 135-minute-long video published by Gamers Nexus”
LG smart TVs caught logging audio with screen off and snooping on local devices
An investigation by Gamers Nexus found LG smart TVs sweep local networks to map phones and nearby devices. Tests also showed the sets can capture microphone audio with the screen off — they then…
www.notebookcheck.net
September 7, 2026 at 11:45 PM
“LG smart TVs continuously sweep home networks, map secondary devices, and log microphone audio while appearing to be turned off, according to a new 135-minute-long video published by Gamers Nexus”
“This newfound cultural cachet prompted Nasser to rebrand several product…‘It brought us new customers that were looking for the Dubai hype,’ Nasser said. The lesson, it seems, is that the Dubai label can add perceived value to any Arab product.”
What’s Behind the Dubai-ification of America’s Yemeni Cafes?
Over the years, Yemeni cafes have become beloved establishments for students and coffee lovers alike. But, recently they have undergone a conspicuous aesthetic makeover.
www.thenation.com
September 7, 2026 at 10:15 PM
“This newfound cultural cachet prompted Nasser to rebrand several product…‘It brought us new customers that were looking for the Dubai hype,’ Nasser said. The lesson, it seems, is that the Dubai label can add perceived value to any Arab product.”
“Industry interests offer these resources to teachers for free or for cheap, according to the report. The materials tend to highlight the necessity of plastics while downplaying their significant downsides to human health and the environment.”
Plastics Companies Are Writing Lesson Plans. What Could Go Wrong?
The science curriculum the industry is offering to schools casts plastics as safe, recyclable, and a source of good jobs. Critics say it’s propaganda.
www.wired.com
September 7, 2026 at 8:45 PM
“Industry interests offer these resources to teachers for free or for cheap, according to the report. The materials tend to highlight the necessity of plastics while downplaying their significant downsides to human health and the environment.”
“Then in January 2025, someone who knew I was into conspiracy theories sent me a video making a factual, historical case that hell isn’t real. I watched it, and the house of cards fell for me. That led to a few months of a really deep depression, an identity collapse.”
Four Maga defectors on what led them to walk away: ‘I’d been addicted to fear and rage’
Ex-Maga supporters unpack their role in bolstering Trump’s platform and share what brought them to the Leaving Maga non-profit support network
www.theguardian.com
September 2, 2026 at 11:45 PM
“Then in January 2025, someone who knew I was into conspiracy theories sent me a video making a factual, historical case that hell isn’t real. I watched it, and the house of cards fell for me. That led to a few months of a really deep depression, an identity collapse.”
Reposted by Anirvan Chatterjee
An account from am economist who was not worried about AI but now is worried because of the Hugging Face Incident
I think it is very hard to ignore the fact that cybersecurity will become a very big issue very quickly and we can only hope AI defense beats offense joshuagans.substack.com/p/its-worse
I think it is very hard to ignore the fact that cybersecurity will become a very big issue very quickly and we can only hope AI defense beats offense joshuagans.substack.com/p/its-worse
It’s worse
The Hugging Face incident is bad, really bad
joshuagans.substack.com
August 31, 2026 at 2:38 AM
An account from am economist who was not worried about AI but now is worried because of the Hugging Face Incident
I think it is very hard to ignore the fact that cybersecurity will become a very big issue very quickly and we can only hope AI defense beats offense joshuagans.substack.com/p/its-worse
I think it is very hard to ignore the fact that cybersecurity will become a very big issue very quickly and we can only hope AI defense beats offense joshuagans.substack.com/p/its-worse
"Chief executive Chazz Clevinger said he could not share how the 20,000 comments to the air board were generated or how constituents were identified and contacted. Agency insiders said the onslaught of emails almost certainly influenced the air board’s decision to reject the proposed rules"
California lawmakers crack down on AI used in public comment
Senate Bill 1159 will make it easier for public agencies to protect themselves from the rising use of artificial intelligence for civic engagement.
www.latimes.com
August 29, 2026 at 7:15 PM
"Chief executive Chazz Clevinger said he could not share how the 20,000 comments to the air board were generated or how constituents were identified and contacted. Agency insiders said the onslaught of emails almost certainly influenced the air board’s decision to reject the proposed rules"
Its particular politics aside, The Daily Planet was what got me first interested in following local politics
www.berkeleyside.org/2026/08/28/b...
www.berkeleyside.org/2026/08/28/b...
The Berkeley Daily Planet has written its last headline
The former newspaper has been online-only since 2010. Owner Becky O'Malley says health issues now make it too difficult to publish.
www.berkeleyside.org
August 28, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Its particular politics aside, The Daily Planet was what got me first interested in following local politics
www.berkeleyside.org/2026/08/28/b...
www.berkeleyside.org/2026/08/28/b...
“When a middle manager at a tobacco company refuses to smoke cigarettes, or a technology CEO sends his children to screenfree schools, or an employee in the meatpacking industry turns vegetarian, many people understand these choices to be the result not only of hypocrisy but also of insider insight”
Why Do Rich Kids Love Socialism?
Having money isn’t at odds with wanting a fairer economic system.
www.theatlantic.com
August 27, 2026 at 1:15 PM
“When a middle manager at a tobacco company refuses to smoke cigarettes, or a technology CEO sends his children to screenfree schools, or an employee in the meatpacking industry turns vegetarian, many people understand these choices to be the result not only of hypocrisy but also of insider insight”
"But the more detailed information required to submit an application, which normally arrives in the grant application portal by February, never appeared. In July, the original link announcing the grant vanished. 'I was kind of surprised,' Dr. Mitra said. 'Initially I thought it was just a mistake.'"
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/well/parents-disabilities-center-funding-cut-trump.html
www.nytimes.com
August 26, 2026 at 7:15 PM
"But the more detailed information required to submit an application, which normally arrives in the grant application portal by February, never appeared. In July, the original link announcing the grant vanished. 'I was kind of surprised,' Dr. Mitra said. 'Initially I thought it was just a mistake.'"
"Richard exited the backroom and began running in between pews until he was cornered in front of the altar…Richard’s legs dangled and kicked in the air; Richard attempted to grab, grasp and claw onto anything he could in an attempt to remain inside."
TWO-MAN HATE RALLY FAILS TO FIND SOLACE IN MOSQUE, CHURCH, STARBUCKS | Left Coast Right Watch
In L.A., Eoin Richard tried to hold a copycat islamophbic rally to Jake Lang’s in Minneapolis. Less than five racists showed and he got covered in paint
leftcoastrightwatch.org
August 26, 2026 at 4:15 PM
"Richard exited the backroom and began running in between pews until he was cornered in front of the altar…Richard’s legs dangled and kicked in the air; Richard attempted to grab, grasp and claw onto anything he could in an attempt to remain inside."
"Although AHEAD Forum seeks to present itself as a freshly-minted, neutral-sounding American non-profit, the mask often slips. A website under its name, and linked to Rajanna’s NY address, explicitly describes itself as working on a nine-front effort to help world leaders understand the RSS…"
Fibs, Fronts & Fixers: The Hidden Machinery Behind Mohan Bhagwat’s Visit - Savera
A Savera Report | Part One Fibs, Fronts & Fixers The Hidden Machinery Behind Mohan Bhagwat’s US Visit “RSS works only in Bharat. But it is possible that we will be able to connect you to some…
www.wearesavera.org
August 26, 2026 at 1:15 PM
"Although AHEAD Forum seeks to present itself as a freshly-minted, neutral-sounding American non-profit, the mask often slips. A website under its name, and linked to Rajanna’s NY address, explicitly describes itself as working on a nine-front effort to help world leaders understand the RSS…"
"Mullin along with Rep Judy Chu (D-CA) and Jesus Chuy Garcia (D-IL) have introduced the National Archives Protection Act that would prevent the closure of any NARA facilities without congressional approval."
asamnews.com/2026/08/24/c...
asamnews.com/2026/08/24/c...
Community rallies to stop closure of National Archives facility – AsAmNews
Dozens gathered outside National Archives near San Francisco urging federal officials to keep the Bay Area facility open... warn more closures may follow.
asamnews.com
August 26, 2026 at 4:15 AM
"Mullin along with Rep Judy Chu (D-CA) and Jesus Chuy Garcia (D-IL) have introduced the National Archives Protection Act that would prevent the closure of any NARA facilities without congressional approval."
asamnews.com/2026/08/24/c...
asamnews.com/2026/08/24/c...
"The amount of gas-fired power in development for data centers in the US has nearly doubled in less than a year…The findings illustrate just how heavily tech companies are relying on building private fossil fuel plants to power data centers—and how fast…energy demand has grown."
Data Centers Are Driving an Alarming Gas Power Expansion in the US
There’s no clearer sign of the data center boom than rampant gas projects that have been proposed or that are already under construction.
www.wired.com
August 26, 2026 at 1:15 AM
"The amount of gas-fired power in development for data centers in the US has nearly doubled in less than a year…The findings illustrate just how heavily tech companies are relying on building private fossil fuel plants to power data centers—and how fast…energy demand has grown."