Derrick Pitard

What is a "second-" or "third-generation immigrant" anyway? The term makes no sense?

Anthropic responds to Hegseth. www.anthropic.com/news/stateme...

The "supply chain risk" happens if the Pentagon uses Claude, not if they don't!

What Is Claude? Anthropic Doesn’t Know, Either Researchers at the company are trying to understand their A.I. system’s mind—examining its neurons, running it through psychology experiments, and putting it on the therapy couch.

The New Yorker this week described how an instance of Claude named Claudius has a hard time managing an employee shop at the company: "Claudius had cash-flow problems, in part because it was prone to making direct payments to a Venmo account it had hallucinated." (I don't see how to share this!)

Every American needs to watch this:

Medieval Manuscripts and the Computational Humanities - Arc Humanities Press This book examines the transformations in medieval studies—and the humanities more broadly—enabled by decades of digitization and advances in computation...

Just saw a new talk with David Wrisley which will be part of new book. Really fascinating to hear about making paleography new again.

I propose to make universal the old policy of the Blackfriars conference at the American Shakespeare Center:

If you do not end your paper on time, you will be forced to exit, pursued by a bear. Literally, a bear will come take your paper from you.

[“Take my advice, when you meet anything that’s going to be human and isn’t yet, or used to be human once and isn’t now, or ought to be human and isn’t, you keep your eyes on it and feel for your hatchet.” — Mr Beaver, The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe]

C. S. Lewis tried to warn us about AI

I lose a little bit of respect for actors who shill for sports betting apps.

“The Epstein class” is a keeper.

My Lord. Ian McKellen. No other late night TV show does what Colbert does.

A corgi's head barely surfacing atop deep snow, against a backdrop of an old wooden fence

I can officially confirm that the snow in NC is roughly one (1) corgi deep

Who is it who owns ChatGPT anyway?

constructivist-inspired banner in red and cream with black lettering bearing the legend STOP FORCING AI INTO FUCKING EVERYTHING - nobody asked for it everyone hates it

(from www.instagram.com/nobodyssweet...)

I recommend anyone watch The Trial of the Chicago 7 for some encouragement.

oh snap. 🫰

COLBERT, on the so-called “Board of Peace”:

“.. Paying a billion dollars to obey Donald Trump seems a little steep. After all, CBS got to do it for just 16 million."

@latenightercom.bsky.social $PSKY

'Priceless' medieval Shrewsbury school text found to be unique The 14th Century manuscript has been found to be the only complete copy of Richard Rolle's text.

How exciting! I remember reading Richard Rolle’s ‘Incendium amoris’ as an undergraduate and being bowled over by his stylistic verve and theological sensitivity. What a boon for medievalists to have a complete text too.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Sean McDermott - be happy to have you in Pittsburgh.

ICE Out For Good- ⚫️🟡 Pittsburgh ⚫️🟡 · Mobilize Pittsburgh says, "ICE Out For Good." We are a coalition of Pittsburgh-based organizations that know that Pittsburghers want to stand with the rule of law, our neighbors in Minnesota, and beyond. We’ll...

www.mobilize.us/mobilize/eve...

Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal warns ICE:

"No law enforcement professional wears a mask... Those that come into our communities wearing a mask to commit crime... You getting arrested".

"Fake wannabe law enforcement... The criminal in the WH will not be able to keep you from going to jail".

At last night’s candlelight vigil for Renee Nicole Good, Bishop Rob Hirschfeld of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire announced he had asked the clergy of the diocese to get their affairs in order and to make sure they have their wills written ...,

In light of what happened to Renee Good, I thought it important to reiterate my grandmother's advice.

Bob Weir, co-founder of rock group the Grateful Dead, dies at age 78 Rhythm guitarist helped guide the legendary jam band through decades of change and success

Farewell Bobby. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

YouTube video by FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul Jesse Ventura reacts to Minneapolis ICE shooting

In case you haven't seen the Jesse Ventura video, see it now:

www.youtube.com/shorts/cnF-D...

These Minnesota people — Frey, Walz, Sens Smith + Klobuchar, Keith Ellison, now Ventura — are not fooling around.

I keep coming back to this

My aloe plant poked me in the eye. A term later one of my students said she had kept the email because she couldn’t keep herself from laughing every time she read it.

Cover of The Literature of Extreme Poverty in the Great Depression, showing a black-and-white photo by Dorothea Lange of hungry men standing in a Depression breadline, especially one man nearly facing the camera and wearing a disheveled hat and coat and holding a battered tin cup above his clasped hands.

Today is pub day for my new book, The Literature of Extreme Poverty in the Great Depression. Available for free at many academic libraries. Until Feb 6 the 1st chapter is free here

academic.oup.com/book/59025/c...

For more abt the book, see

global.oup.com/academic/pro...

#Booksky #litcult

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