Dan Sinker/notes

Most of the time my thoughts aren't long enough for a blog post. My shortform notes get posted on Mastodon and Bluesky, and also wind up here.

Lol the Texas National Guard troops never made it further than a base outside Joliet. Just chilled there for a month and a half at taxpayer expense. GTFO

A news headline from The New York Times announces the Pentagon's decision to withdraw some National Guard troops from Chicago and Portland.

posted at 10:47AM on November 16, 2025

Yoko Ono exhibit at the MCA Chicago was incredible and overwhelming.

A room and a boat are covered in overlapping blue scribbles and drawings, creating a chaotic and immersive art installation.

posted at 4:15PM on November 14, 2025

I spend a lot of time thinking about how to write about Chicago, especially right now, and the late, great Tony Fitzpatrick gave me a perfect metaphor: Chicago is a boxer. dansinker.com/posts/202…

posted at 11:48AM on November 14, 2025

It’s being reported that Greg Bovino and 250 of his goons will be leaving Chicago. But it’s also being reported that he’ll be back, in larger numbers. But Chicago is a boxer, tired but unbowed. I wrote about how we’ll be ready. dansinker.com/posts/202…

Everyone I know is exhausted from the last two months. Exhausted from rushing out on the ding of a Signal notification, exhausted from standing in front of schools keeping watch, exhausted from confronting heavily armed masked agents in tactical gear with nothing more than a whistle around your neck. Exhausted—so exhausted—from being witness to neighbors, friends, and family going missing. Over 3000 people, according to the goons' own count. One was too many. Everyone I know is exhausted. Everyone I know is ready to go another round.

posted at 8:57AM on November 14, 2025

Fuck em up Anish www.fox32chicago.com/news/chic…

CHICAGO - After Border Patrol agents gathered at Chicago’s "Cloud Gate" for a photo earlier this week, artist Anish Kapoor and a local parks group are calling for city action and possible legal consequences.&10;&10;What we know:&10;Kapoor told The Guardian he learned about the incident from a friend and is considering legal action, calling the scene representative of "fascist America."&10;&10;"Abducting street vendors, breaking doors, pulling people from cars, using teargas on residential streets. I mean, this is fascist America and just beyond belief," Kapoor reportedly said.&10;&10;When asked if he planned to take legal action, Kapoor said, "Of course, I'm going to do everything I can," according to The Guardian.

posted at 8:22PM on November 13, 2025

Hey it's Friday afternoon, how about signing up to get my writing sent to your inbox. It's free, it's good, and I'd love if you did. dansinker.com/follow/

posted at 5:30PM on October 17, 2025

I am never ever fucking EVER getting over these fuckers just driving around snatching our neighbors off the street.

posted at 8:54PM on October 16, 2025

I wrote a little bit about the 400th episode of Says Who podcast, a show that was supposed to last 8 episodes, and the power of making things with your friends. dansinker.com/posts/202...

posted at 3:43PM on October 16, 2025

A problem with researching stuff from 100 years ago is that I get very easily distracted by all the ads in newspapers. a vintage newspaper ad for Stillman's 'Muncie's Original Underselling Store'

posted at 11:17AM on October 15, 2025

New levels of hell: just got an email from our local AYSO cancelling today's youth soccer games because ICE is at the Home Depot across from the soccer fields at James Park in Evanston.

posted at 12:39PM on October 12, 2025

Full ICE whistle assembly line over here. Assembling ICE whistle packs on a red table

posted at 7:12PM on October 11, 2025

RIP Tony Fitzpatrick. Taught me so much about what it means to love a place so much that you become one with it. A truly singular Chicago artist. A vibrant collage by Tony Fitzpatrick features a peregrine falcon with architectural elements and bold text related to Chicago.

posted at 4:05PM on October 11, 2025

Saturday morning craft project A red table is covered with numerous printed zines, in Spanish , about using whistles to warn about ICE and a pair of scissors

posted at 11:24AM on October 11, 2025

I am never ever going to forgive a single one of these motherfuckers.

posted at 8:59PM on October 10, 2025

Someone's gonna make him his own little participant trophy peace award.

posted at 7:48AM on October 10, 2025

I just really fucking love Chicago.

posted at 9:52PM on October 9, 2025

New weekend project just dropped. A box containing several orange whistles with cords next to a printed sheet of information on how to use them to warn about ICE

posted at 5:20PM on October 8, 2025

I wrote a little more about the book I'm writing, I HATE THOSE MASKED BASTARDS!—yes, it's written with the caps—and how the lessons of history can teach us about today. And why that's a threat to, well, those masked bastards. dansinker.com/posts/202...

posted at 3:40PM on October 8, 2025

Tonight of all nights I'm going to re-up my benediction for Chicago. We are everything. dansinker.com/posts/202... No matter what happens in the coming weeks, we are Chicago. We rose from the ashes. We never quit.&10;&10;We are the lake in the morning, the sun rising over the water, its reflection drawing a line straight to our shores.&10;&10;We are the Haymarket Martyrs, the Pullman strikers, always demanding better than what we've got.&10;&10;We are the words of Sandburg and Algren and Brooks and Wright.&10;&10;We are the 90s Bulls, making the impossible possible.&10;&10;We are the dipped Italian Beef. Messy, sure, but incredible.&10;&10;We are the humidity in the summer, the frostbitten cheeks in the winter.&10;&10;We are smoke-kissed rib tips.&10;&10;We are elotes on the street. We are pierogis in a pot.&10;&10;We are Curtis singing Hush now child.

posted at 9:50PM on October 5, 2025

Chicago is two and a half million people. Expand out to the larger metro area and you're talking about 10 million people. I like our odds.

posted at 4:15PM on October 4, 2025

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