What's to weigh? It's a no. It doesn't even matter what the proposal says. It's entirely unacceptable for the president to be cutting side-deals with universities. Say no reflexively, and if he pulls your funds, sue him. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

Dear University of Pennsylvania: Do. Not. Comply. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/u...

Today's #MiniatureMonday is a Hebrew manuscript of prayers for the time of plague. Consists of selections from the Psalms and the "Parashat ha-Ḳeṭoret" (the Biblical and Talmudic passages detailing the creation of the incense in the Temple) (UPenn CAJS Rar Ms 656) 🔗: https://bit.ly/4pyGfj1

The people have spoken. Always know that your voice matters. Never give up.

sinclair pulled its kirk tribute six minutes before it was set to air on its abc affiliates

Just read Heather Cox Richardson's latest @heathercoxrichardson.substack.com.web.brid.gy and it occurs to me that there are not enough posts in my feed about how the resistance to the Trump administration is succeeding. I'm asking for your help. A brief thread. 1/X

Age verification? I watched the Star Trek episode "A Piece of the Action" the first time it was broadcast.

The piece reminded me of the old SNL skit, George F Wills Sports Machine, where Tommy Lasorda asks Wills if he ever played the game. Has Loomis ever organized a union? Or negotiate a contract? Or gotten a fractious Local to come to consensus on anything? Doubt it. youtu.be/3QcVhyAaLnM?...

We’re kicking off Philadelphia’s 38th annual Labor Day parade with AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond, @afscme.bsky.social President Lee Saunders, @lettercarriers.bsky.social President Brian Renfroe and thousands of working people. Philly is a union town! ✊

Local woman wakes up, celebrates unions and their workers, makes oatmeal.

Happy Labor Day 🙂

Who says unions aren't fighting back?

Terrible framing below. My re-write: "While some unions have long resisted major organizing efforts," ... "many of the largest unions, including the teachers unions and service workers unions, have grown by organizing new workers and becoming politically powerful." Easy, no? 4/

Loomis claims "we have barely heard a peep from unions" since Trump's attempt to strip Federal workers of their bargaining rights. But he fails to mention the ongoing fight in the courts to restore those rights. It ain't torches & pitchforks, but it ain't nothing neither. 3/

Let's start with the title. Where does Loomis get off saying unions are so quiet? It's clear he wishes we could have national strikes, as they do in Europe and elsewhere. He sighs repeatedly over unions' supposed passivity. It is clear he does not get out much. 2/

The NYT does it again. An opinion piece about labor rife with bad framings, wrong conclusions, and misplaced longing for a kind of labor movement that has never existed in the US. Here's a gift link. My rant follows. 1/ www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/o...

Hey Firefox users.

Great stuff here. Much to ponder.

So whatever I thought was happening at the intersection of cataloging and automation, it turns out the reality is so much worse. A cautionary tale:

Come and play Everything’s A-OK Friendly Union members there! Congratulations our friends at @sesameworkersunion.bsky.social on saying #UnionYes!

This is fun! Implement a 100% tariff and ruin a movie: Quadruple Indemnity

That's my District Council president!!

For nearly 70 years, May Day has been known in the legal community as Law Day, but this year's commemoration will look a LOT different. This and more in "Rising This Week." www.allrisenews.com/p/rising-thi...

McClure also writes: "Unions are filing lawsuits and showing us, again, why we very badly need unions." You have the AAUP there, Dr. McClure. Work with them & give them some teeth.

Faculty and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are gathering signatures for a letter calling on university leadership to condemn anti-democratic attacks on higher ed, contest unlawful demands, and coordinate with other schools. docs.google.com/document/u/0...

“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” Alan M. Garber, President, Harvard University. Inject this straight into my veins!

Every now & then a new work grabs my attention & won't let go. This is one of them: youtu.be/YHFfzDhWoYQ?...

Heartbreaking and senseless. And cruel.

Happy one month anniversary of the day we gotcha to Joey II. You’ve made yourself feel right at home. And that makes us so happy.

Dear opinion givers, hot-takers, & everyone else who post about how all the responses to Trump & his marauders are wrong/inadequate/doomed to fail: You're not helping! Do you have a solution? Are you going to lead us? If yes, tell us, show us. If not, STOP. We're tired. Sincerely, We, the People.

Please read this petition and consider adding your name. And please consider reposting, so everyone can read it. docs.google.com/document/d/e...

NEBRASKA CROWD: “TAX THE RICH! TAX THE RICH!” @USRepMikeFlood: “So your proposal to solve (the debt) is tax the rich?” NEBRASKA CROWD: *CHEERS WILDLY* (not sure this went quite as he planned 😬)

Random post that just tickles me to no end.

So Musk knows "something about hiring good people," does he? Hoo boy, what can one say? Dunning and Kruger have converged upon a singularity of unknowing stupidity such as to cause us mere mortals to gasp in awe. Or maybe it's just gas.

Did any Americans vote for this? "[Transportation Secretary] Duffy said the young staff of Mr Musk’s team was trying to lay off air traffic controllers. What am I supposed to do? Mr Duffy said. I have multiple plane crashes to deal with now, and your people want me to fire air traffic controllers?"

Let the shenanigans commence! Our new adopted cat, Joey, decided tonight was the best time to summit Mount China Cabinet. A very smug kitty clearly likes his new-found perch.

Welcome home, Joey. Happy Gotcha Day!

Too funny not to share. Uncredited.

In a world of U Penns, be a Princeton: "'... I wanted to concentrate on strategic issues that are longer term for us, rather than trying to respond directly to the orders that are coming out of Washington,' said [Princeton University President, Christopher] Eisgruber" --Daily Princetonian 2/11/25

Not. Good. At. All. Do not obey in advance. Do not acquiesce. Resist. Primary headline, not seen below is: Vanderbilt University Libraries Removed a DEI Statement From Their Website nashvillebanner.com/2025/02/05/v....

New — The National Treasury Employees Union just sent out an urgent email to all members re: OPM guidance on deferred resignation. “Don't be fooled. Don't follow this OPM group's guidance. DO NOT RESIGN.”

So proud of my brother & his union co-workers for showing us how to resist. www.dispatch.com/story/news/e...

Building unions at Penn together!

"...we as librarians are going to have to learn generative AI and gain that kind of practical expertise so that we can think about ethical ways to integrate it into our work..." Yeah, but there isn't a way to do that. www.libraryjournal.com/story/librar...

Good morning, Philadelphia!

As the Trump administration & many state governments appear poised to accelerate attacks on higher education as a public good, the AAUP urges colleges & universities to resist the coming onslaught of political interference & defend the core values of higher education. 🧵 www.aaup.org/news/against...

Shameless plug for my community orchestra: If you think John Williams' music is cool, come hear the OG bad-ass composer Anton Bruckner. Lower Merion Symphony plays Symphony no. 8 Sunday, January 19 3 pm Goodhart Hall, Bryn Mawr College 150 N. Merion Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA

Repeat after me: HR is not your friend. They exist to protect the company's interests. Not yours. Need help addressing an issue in the workplace? Talk to your union steward. No union? Then organize! www.nytimes.com/2025/01/11/b...

BREAKING: IATSE Local B29 and Ensemble Arts Philadelphia Reach Tentative Agreement for Ushers The proposed five-year agreement includes wage increases totaling 23% over the life of the contract, plus additional benefits and improved work rules.