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Stefan Fatsis

@stefanfatsis

Author: Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary Also: Word Freak, A Few Seconds of Panic, Wild & Outside Ex: Hang Up and Listen, WSJ, NPR, AP, Daily Pennsylvanian, Pel Mel

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17.11.2024
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Latest posts by Stefan Fatsis @stefanfatsis

It’s true

07.03.2026 00:04 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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One of the first things we were taught at Quantico was that there is never a moment in which you are not representing the Bureau; but, then again, we earned our place there, and weren’t granted its directorship as a sinecure for partisan malfeasance and a willingness to disregard the constitution.

22.02.2026 23:54 πŸ‘ 4074 πŸ” 1057 πŸ’¬ 56 πŸ“Œ 224

ICYMI from yesterday: Rev. Jesse Jackson had an athlete’s swagger and confidence and he expected to win, which explained so much about his life and life’s work. I wrote about some of that here.

19.02.2026 12:37 πŸ‘ 94 πŸ” 19 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0
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This is 18-mo-old Amalia waving to me when she was detained.

She was hospitalized with a respiratory infection while at ICE’s Dilley facility for immigrant families.

She’s one of dozens of detainees who I spoke to via video and phone calls, letters and an in-person visit. 🧡1/

09.02.2026 11:21 πŸ‘ 1501 πŸ” 679 πŸ’¬ 21 πŸ“Œ 79
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09.02.2026 01:42 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Quick kick always an option

09.02.2026 00:48 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Unintentional brilliance

07.02.2026 22:21 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I wish the typo was intentional!

07.02.2026 19:27 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

you have wonder if the problem was β€œworld,” β€œfacts,” or β€œbooks”

05.02.2026 00:50 πŸ‘ 1543 πŸ” 87 πŸ’¬ 31 πŸ“Œ 4
cover of The Washington Post on Wednesday Feb 4, 2026. Headline on bottom, right: Musk wanted to hook users; his chatbot got more sexual

cover of The Washington Post on Wednesday Feb 4, 2026. Headline on bottom, right: Musk wanted to hook users; his chatbot got more sexual

My story on Elon Musk cutting safeguards at xAI is on the front page of today's @washingtonpost.com. I’m also among 100’s of reporters laid off. I absolutely loved my job my brilliant coworkers & the thrill of reporting @ the center of forces upending the world: AI & Silicon Valley’s political power

04.02.2026 19:40 πŸ‘ 6670 πŸ” 2136 πŸ’¬ 160 πŸ“Œ 111

I was there (for the WSJ) and Dan’s work was crazy groundbreaking. He doesn’t get enough credit!

04.02.2026 19:03 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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I am part of the mass layoffs at the Washington Post.

I am sad and angry. We all want to keep doing the work.

But for now I want to document a reality of being in journalism today.

04.02.2026 18:02 πŸ‘ 143 πŸ” 47 πŸ’¬ 20 πŸ“Œ 9
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lizzie johnson
@lizziejohnsonnn
Β·
Aug 19, 2021
Almost three years ago, my editor called me early one November morning. A wildfire had sparked near a town called Paradise, he said. Could I go? (1/13)
0:02 / 0:10
lizzie johnson
@lizziejohnsonnn
Β·
47m
I was just laid off by The Washington Post in the middle of a warzone. I have no words. I'm devastated.
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lizzie johnson
@lizziejohnsonnn
Β·
Jan 25
Waking up without power, heat, or running water. (Again.) 

But the work here in Kyiv continues. Warming up in the car, writing in pencil β€” pen ink freezes β€” by headlamp.

Pinned lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn Β· Aug 19, 2021 Almost three years ago, my editor called me early one November morning. A wildfire had sparked near a town called Paradise, he said. Could I go? (1/13) 0:02 / 0:10 lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn Β· 47m I was just laid off by The Washington Post in the middle of a warzone. I have no words. I'm devastated. Quote lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn Β· Jan 25 Waking up without power, heat, or running water. (Again.) But the work here in Kyiv continues. Warming up in the car, writing in pencil β€” pen ink freezes β€” by headlamp.

A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world

04.02.2026 17:07 πŸ‘ 22059 πŸ” 6932 πŸ’¬ 540 πŸ“Œ 414
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Death of a Sports Section The Washington Post sports department was dismantled before its leaders gave it a chance to change

Anyway read @bryancurtis.bsky.social on what happened and why it didn't have to but for management indifference and incompetence

04.02.2026 16:50 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

...and everyone who was working until this morning on a section that routinely produced complex, deeply reported, important, fun, relevant, interesting, explanatory, investigative, well-written work

04.02.2026 16:50 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Death of a Sports Section The Washington Post sports department was dismantled before its leaders gave it a chance to change

Me on the death of the Washington Post sports section.

This isn't a day to be nostalgic. It's a day to be angry.
www.theringer.com/2026/02/04/m...

04.02.2026 16:20 πŸ‘ 563 πŸ” 211 πŸ’¬ 14 πŸ“Œ 32

You know who covered sports at the Post as a "cultural and societal phenomenon"? Thomas Boswell, Sally Jenkins, Michael Wilbon, Tony Kornheiser, Jane Leavy, Shirley Povich, Christine Brennan, Mike Wise, Dave Kindred, John Feinstein, David Remnick, David Aldridge, Jerry Brewer, Dan Steinberg...

04.02.2026 16:34 πŸ‘ 36 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

I feel equally for the many great journalists at the Post fired today and the great journalists who survived and continue to do important work despite how horribly the owner and publisher have tarnished the reputation and integrity of the paper.

04.02.2026 15:24 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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A staggering statement from former Washington Post editor Marty Baron: "This ranks among the darkest days in the history of one of the world's greatest news organizations."

04.02.2026 14:34 πŸ‘ 7505 πŸ” 2658 πŸ’¬ 236 πŸ“Œ 228
Bruce Springsteen - Streets of Minneapolis - First Ave 260130
Bruce Springsteen - Streets of Minneapolis - First Ave 260130 YouTube video by Nate Reiter

Holy shit. So this just happened at Minneapolis's legendary First Avenue club. That's Tom Morello introducing Springsteen. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jHe...

30.01.2026 23:39 πŸ‘ 2198 πŸ” 597 πŸ’¬ 40 πŸ“Œ 46

Let’s try this one in foreign correspondent voice:

State Security Forces Arrest Journalist Who Covered Protests Against Regime Official

30.01.2026 13:42 πŸ‘ 2660 πŸ” 921 πŸ’¬ 30 πŸ“Œ 9
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ICE violence is fueled by misogyny and white nationalism How the Trump administration has mobilized state-sponsored terror in Minneapolis and beyond.

Powerful essay from @milleridriss.bsky.social on how misogyny and white nationalism fuel the violence by ICE and Trump's deportation forces www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

28.01.2026 19:29 πŸ‘ 274 πŸ” 108 πŸ’¬ 7 πŸ“Œ 6
https://www.hillcenterdc.org/event/natan-last-the-new-yorker-crossword-contributor-discusses-his-new-book-across-the-universe-in-conversation-with-with-writer-stefan-fatsis/

DC! this is Wednesday. come talk words and history with me and the wonderful @stefanfatsis.bsky.social.

t.co/m3BfMEjvvk

26.01.2026 02:07 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Natan Last, The New Yorker Crossword Contributor, discusses his new book, Across the Universe, in conversation with writer Stefan Fatsis Calling all Crossword, Spelling Bee, and Wordle Fans! If you are ever a little nosey and glance at the phone screen of the person sitting next to you on the train, or in a cafΓ©, or in line at a store,...

Attention Crossword Enthusiasts! We have @natanlast.bsky.social, The @newyorker.com Crossword Contributor is coming to Hill Center on Wednesday to discuss his new book with writer @stefanfatsis.bsky.social: www.hillcenterdc.org/event/natan-...

23.01.2026 14:11 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

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16.01.2026 19:30 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

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16.01.2026 04:54 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

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13.01.2026 01:54 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Orange cover, with author’s name across the top. The title occupies the top third, in the style of a dictionary entry. Beneath that is a double-torsoed man in gray: one half stands, looking at text on a phone, and the other bends down at the waist to attend to an oversized fragment of a dictionary page.

Orange cover, with author’s name across the top. The title occupies the top third, in the style of a dictionary entry. Beneath that is a double-torsoed man in gray: one half stands, looking at text on a phone, and the other bends down at the waist to attend to an oversized fragment of a dictionary page.

Highly recommend Unabridged, by @stefanfatsis.bsky.social. Especially in an environment of unchecked doublespeak, it’s good to read about people who have devoted their lives to the principle that words and their definitions matter.

12.01.2026 20:24 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Videos Show How ICE Vehicle Stops Can Escalate to Shootings A WSJ visual investigation found that the Minneapolis ICE killing is one of 13 incidents where federal immigration agents have used deadly force against civilians in vehicles since July.

WSJ investigation: In the past 6 months ICE agents have fired at vehicles 13 times, leading to:

* 8 people shot
* 5 of which were U.S. citizens
* 2 died
* no victims drew a weapon

The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire

www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...

10.01.2026 15:44 πŸ‘ 9443 πŸ” 5174 πŸ’¬ 177 πŸ“Œ 249