Pearson, on Bluesky, circa April 2026.

20-plus years ago, and demanded a bit of hacking through an old milblog universe, but this (written after the Abu Gharib abuse scandal came to light) seems pretty dang relevant. web.archive.org/web/20040905...

I'm going into lurking mode on Bluesky. I can't be convinced that this platform isn't going to go right the same direction as Twitter. There may be no bombastic Elon-like behavior coming from the mods, but there isn't safety for marginalized groups on here either.

I am actively wondering if the correct response when the mods melt down a platform isn’t to flee to another platform, but to flee social media itself.

I think this was the worst loss a coach has taken in 18 seasons

UCLA did what now

The constitutional remedy for a president who orders executive branch officials to break the law is impeachment, removal, and disqualification.

I don't understand why it's necessary to do this when @dicknixon.bsky.social posts here all the time.

SCOOP — Pennsylvania prosecutors were alerted to possible voting irregularities by one of MAGA's leading voices against voter fraud. A long paper trail shows Jack Posobiec has been living in Maryland but voting using his parents' PA address for years. From @jsweetli.bsky.social, @slate.com + me:

I went to pull up a list of land-grant universities...and was greeted by the following statement on the USDA website. This isn't a typical government shutdown.

When I started at the place I work now eight years ago, I was told "V.R. (and A.R.) are the future of learning", "In five years all students will come to college with their own V.R. headset", and "V.R. will transform [chemistry]!" I was told to get in on the ground floor.

Had me in the first half, not gonna lie

As an assistant dean, I feel this. I feel this SO HARD.

October? In this economy?

This headline is ridiculous. Republicans have literally every lever of power. They have proven incapable of keeping the government open. Because while they are good at winning elections, they don’t care about governance. That’s the story.

What I want in this moment is writing about the military facing down illegal orders.

For non-academics, let me explain that it's rare for a grad student to take an undergrad class, that's it's almost unheard of for a grad student to take an undergrad class in an entirely different field, and that it's totally insane for a grad student to hijack the class with political sea lioning.

Am I reading this correctly? A grad student ... in Computer Science ... enrolled in an undergraduate seminar ... in the American Indian and Indigenous Studies program ... where he ignored the readings and hijacked discussions to talk about Israel and defend its actions in Gaza? What the hell?

Sandwich-eating theory is worth your study here.

This year's model of Earlybird is in the books. It was an all-timer. Thanks to the staff who support me in running a top-class quizbowl tournament for the region, and we hope everybody who turned out had the greatest of days.

LMFAO

the prophecy, fulfilled

News like this does not help my rocky relationship with evangelical Christianity.

Israel shouldn't be in UEFA to begin with. They're in UEFA because the confederation they belong in kicked them out. And the more they are blithering diplomatic idiots, the harder it gets to say that the Asian Football Confederation didn't kick them out fair and square.

I don't care if she's in the suite supporting her fiancé. Friends don't let friends watch the NFL.

The kids are alright.

Atmospheric chemistry is beastly to teach. Where do you even start?

This is an absolutely terrific piece from @texastribune.org and reinforces my belief that the best coverage of right-wing cancelations occur at the local level, after years of the national media focusing on threats from the left. www.texastribune.org/2025/09/19/t...

Not believing a Gundy firing report til I hear it from OANN

i feel like Mike Gundy summoned every last ounce of his coaching juju to beat Oklahoma in the last Bedlam game. he should've retired that night

President Nixon's principles of negotiation and statecraft. - RZ

Lotta people gonna find out about Kenvue, Inc. today, I guess

LinkedIn's got jokes

I subscribe to Extra Points for such newsletters as this. I'm an unabashed sports nerd, and I'm also an invested participant in intercollegiate athletics, given how many academic of my students participate. This is good thinking, and I appreciate what went into this writing.

If you have a video-only podcast, I’m not listening. I listen to podcasts SPECIFICALLY so I can shut the video off.

Okay, Charlie Kirk memorial event has wrapped, with Trump and Erika Kirk embracing before walking off together. One of the most prominent — in terms of the political power wielded by participants — intermingle-ings of religion and politics I've ever witnessed. Anyway, hire more religion reporters.

As CNN offers daylong saturation coverage of the podcaster’s funeral, I went back and checked to see how CNN covered Melissa Hortman’s memorial on 6/28, where Walz spoke and Biden/Harris attended. It got about four minutes during the hours it was happening—less than Jeff Bezos’s wedding that day.

Christian persecution in America is best defined by this image: No actual struggle, wearing clothes that cost more than my entire wardrobe, polished cross instead of rugged, and surrounded by crowds of fellow hypocrites cheering on bigotry who believe they're the victims.

Again already? That's awesome. I have prepared a complete history of the Rapture leading up to Tuesday's Rapture:

top-ten Indiana, you cowards

I smiled right up to James Brown's...very bad homage to the 70's. I know this team does the foolishness from time to time, but that was a bit cringe.

It's not just tournament week here at Tusculum. It's the first of TWO tournament weeks. And collegiate tournament week for our friends at Vanderbilt (that we sadly can't join in on because of our high school tournament week). It's quizbowl time in Tennessee.

my frens we live in a world in which, in consecutive seasons, Florida State and Clemson have found themselves all alone in last place in the ACC

I’m an hour late, but the ceremonial must find its way into my timeline

My most Gen X complaint is that this question ignores our existence.

He made a fool of himself just to be fired anyway. How many times are institutions going to do this?

Anyway, I will not pretend that Rice vs. Charlotte is a good college football game, but I also will not pretend that I'd rather watch the 2025 Miami Dolphins tonight

I seriously considered going in for ESPN’s programming on demand for the new college football season. I am VERY glad I didn’t. Disney doesn’t get a dime from me now.