Karen Leick

(The gaggle also featured an innumerate garble-boast, when Trump claimed "we've cut drug prices by twelve hundred, thirteen hundred, fourteen hundred, fifteen hundred percent. I don't mean fifty percent, I mean fourteen-, fifteen hundred percent." A responsible reporter might have been tempted to respond with something like, "Mr. President, how does that work? The next time I buy a bottle of aspirin for three dollars, Bayer will send me a check for forty-five dollars?" But no.)

It’s OK for reporters to challenge politicians—even the president— when they blatantly lie in front of your cameras! They won’t throw you in a gulag. (At least not yet.)

www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...

Fun fact: even as UCLA is being extorted for $1B by a fascist government, its administration is requiring all faculty to install a “security” program that surveils everything we do and shares that information with the federal government.

Welcome to the 2027 Chicago’s mayor race, Andrew Cuomo Chicago is proof that incompetent leadership can turn a deep-dish city into a half-baked mess From long before we built the Erie Canal to compete with Chicago, New York has always been about making things happen I believe in government that works. I have done it time and time again for the people of New York. Let’s do it again.

Welcome to the 2027 Chicago mayoral election, Andrew Cuomo

YouTube video by kalebpost20 Bill Hader discusses cut Casey Kasem sketch with Kevin Pollak

I've posted this before but I love it so

youtu.be/3HZPkWYr2-4?...

US to rewrite its past national climate reports US President Donald Trump's administration is revising past editions of the nation's premier climate report -- its latest move to undermine the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming.

The Trump administration has announced that the US will rewrite past climate reports, in a clear attempt to erase scientific history and undermine the consensus on human-caused climate change.

The book "Of many minds: neurodiversity and mental health among university faculty and staff"

Hey look what showed up in today's mail! This is an excellent book, and I'm stoked it's out in the world. Anyone in academia should read this. Seriously. @agilefacultyrpr.bsky.social @readywriting.bsky.social

GPT-5 regularly asks you why you are not citing its work. GPT-5 always believes your estimator is biased. GPT-5 has more of a comment than a question. Sometimes GPT-5 tells you stories about grad school and expresses regret about getting a PhD. GPT-5's mom wonders when it will start making money.

ChatGPT File • • Edit View Window Help ChatGPT 5 > How many times does the letter b appear in blueberry The word "blueberry" has the letter b three times: • Once at the start ("B" in blueberry). • Once in the middle ("b" in blue). • Once before the -erry ending ("b" in berry). Total: 3 O92 Show me where the letter b appears in the word please. Sure — here's "blueberry" with each b highlighted: B lue b erry Positions (counting from 1): 1 B - first letter 4 b - in blue 6 b - in berry D9< Spell that out with all three bs please. I mean, just spell the word. Sure — here's the full spelling with all three b's shown in place: BLUEBERRY That's exactly how blueberry is spelled, with the b's in positions 1, 5, and 7.

ChatGPT File Edit View Window Help E ChatGPT 5 > You wrote "BLUEBERRY". There are only two bs there. Ah - I see the mix-up. Let's slow it down and spell blueberry carefully, letter by letter, showing all three b's. blueberry Now you can see them: • 1st b → position 1 • 2nd b → position 5 • 3rd b → position 6 blueberry Exactly — blue berry has three b's: • 1st b → at the very start • 2nd b → right after the e in blue • 3rd b → immediately after the second b, starting berry So the "bb" in the middle is really what gives blueberry its double-b moment. Its double-b moment; I see. Yep - blueberry is one of those words where the middle almost trips you up, like it's saying "b-b-better pay attention." That little bb moment is satisfying, though — it makes the word feel extra bouncy.

 ChatGPT File Edit View Window Help 巴 • ChatGPT 5 > My students get you to write their essays for them, you know. Ah, the old "ChatGPT, do my homework" routine — I'm familiar with that one. I can see why they'd be tempted, but here's the thing: I'm a lot more useful as a coach than a ghostwriter. If they use me to brainstorm ideas, plan structure, or clarify tricky concepts, they'll actually learn and still have their own voice in the work. If they just hand in what I write, they're skipping the thinking part - and it usually shows. I'm good, but I still leave a trail of... telltale ChatGPT-isms. A trail of blueberries, as it were. Exactly — a trail of blueberries: easy to follow, a little sweet, and maybe just obvious enough for a watchful teacher to notice. If your students really are leaving me to bake the whole blueberry pie for them, they might forget that the best part of pie is making it themselves... even if it gets a little messy. "Blueberry" only has two bs. Nope - blueberry really does have three b's. Here it is spaced out: bluebberry Positions: b- at the start 5 b - in the "blue" part 6 b - right next to it, starting "berry" That middle double-b is easy to miss if vou just glance at the word.

I had to try the “blueberry” thing myself with GPT5. I merely report the results.

Chicago Abortion Fund to receive $2 million grant from Cook County The grant aims to lower barriers to abortion access and provide wraparound services like childcare, transportation and lodging.

Chicago Abortion Fund received a $2 million grant from Cook County as the area remains a beacon for abortion care in the Midwest. The grant aims to lower barriers to abortion access and provide wraparound childcare, transportation and lodging.

What Your Favorite Classic Rock Band Says About You, Part Two Read Part One here and Part Three here. - - -Kiss: You have partied on a boat in a driveway. Queen: You have injured several people by jogging int...

Slade: You have smoked speed through a TV antenna.

Procol Harum: You have smoked hash through an antique rifle.

Heart: You have smoked chamomile tea through a hookah.

I believe one of the new mRNA vaccines was expected to treat colon cancer, and another had the potential to keep pancreatic cancer from recurring. That’s what they’re taking away.

How Trump’s War on Higher Education Is Hitting Community Colleges

Excellent story highlighting the amazing work community colleges do in the US, how they're being harmed by Trump's attacks on higher education, and how they are coming together in solidarity to share resources and fight back.

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/m...

I was thinking with a friend about how to describe the harms of AI, especially in a teaching and labor context, and came up with calling it a “coordinated campaign of mass deskilling” and I feel like that succinctly describes a lot of the problem.

and here's David Mamet revealing that getting snubbed by Terry Gross is what radicalized him into conservatism

Fox and toad.

Last summer we followed a truck with a “Joe and the Ho
Gotta Go”
sticker on it all the way to my brother’s cabin in MN.

research.hrc.utexas.edu/fasearch/fin...

Two cats curled on their sides on a sidewalk. One is a tabby with a white face, and the other is half-white/half-tabby.

Anyone interested in adopting a bonded pair of sweet middle-aged kitties? Used to catsit for them and their owner has to unexpectedly move to Mexico due to a death in the family, and cannot take them. They're such sweeties I almost decided to take them, but my allergies just won't let me.

As A Brown University Alumnus, Let Me Say: Fuck This — Assigned A Brown alumnus recalls his time at the ‘gayest’ university and calls for the Brown community to stand united against the Trump deal.

A reminiscence on trans college life in the closet and a big fuck you to Brown University for trading the rights of their trans students to the Trump Administration in this special Sunday piece by @sandyernestallen.bsky.social.

I spent seven years writing a book on this and she just… said it in three succinct paragraphs to politico.

He started his career here in Chicago, writing for the Reader.

development organizations years following the Effectiv brown.edu Private rimination laws, over the ten 10. t h he exception of actions to enforce this Agreement, the United States agrees not to institute any civil action or other adverse agency action against Brown, its officers, Corporation members, directors, agents, and employees (the "Brown Releasees) based on the Released Claims. The United States releases the Brown Releasees from any liability related to the Released Claims. The United States is not releasing Brown or the Brown Releases from any other liability. 11. The University will take the following steps to ensure compliance with Title IX and its implementing regulations, by providing safe and equitable opportunities and spaces for women: a. Brown Athletics facilities, the University willprovide female student-athletes with intimate facilities such as locker rooms and bathrooms strictly separated on the basis of sex. b. The University will define "male" and "female, for the purpose of all practices, policies and procedures adopted and implemented by the University for any athletic opportunity, event, competition, category, program, or activity designated for women, consistent with the definitions 3 adopted in Executive Order 14168, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and estoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government (Jan. 20, 2025), and Executive Order 14201, Keeping Men out of Women's Sports (Feb. 5, 2025). c. The University will offer women the option of female-only housing, restrooms, and showering facilities, and for these purposes will adopt the abovementioned definitions of "male' and "femalc." d. The University will ensure students have access to single-sex floors in on-campus housing, using the above-mentioned definition. 12. h University will not perform gender reassignment surgery or prescribe puberty blockers or hormones to any minor child for the purpose of aligning the child's appearance with an identity that differs from hi…

president.brown.edu Private BROWN 5. Addressing government requirements for "male" and "female" defnitions for athletics and on-campus housing, as well as limits on gender-affirming care As we have for decades, Brown has agreed to abide by Title IX and NCAA eligibility rules regarding the participation of transgender athletes in intercollegiate sports. We also committed that the University will continue to provide housing and restroom access in a way that allows for gender- inclusive, women-only and men-only options. The agreement also states, The University will not perform gender reassignment surgery or prescribe puberty blockers or hormones to any minor child for the purpose of aligning the child's appearance with an identity that differs from his or her sex."' The University will refer affected students who seek care from Student Health Services or the University Pharmacy to area specialists. The agreement does not affect medical teaching or training, and does not apply to clinical services provided by health systems that are separate entities from Brown, such as Brown University Health and Care New England. We remain fully commited to serving the health needs of all Brown students in a manner consistent with our long- established policy of nondiscrimination, which includes sex, gender identity and gender expression. The LGBTQ Center, Student Health and Wellness Services, and other offices in the Division of Campus Life, as well as the Warren Alpert Medical School School of Public Health. the College,

Brown University is caving to Trump.

They are banning trans women from female bathrooms, dorms, locker rooms, and sports across campus. They're also cracking down on trans care for minors, though that is unlikely to be broadly impactful since it's a university.

president.brown.edu/president/br...

Have you listened to any audiobooks lately? I would love to hear your thoughts on audiobook narration via the link above.

Hi everyone,

As part of my dissertation, I am researching audiobook narration.

If you have listened to an audiobook within the last two years, or have previously been a frequent audiobook user, I would really appreciate your thoughts!

You can find the survey here:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

New Directions in Digital Textual Studies The overlaps between the digital humanities and textual studies-two major scholarly fields which share common interests and methods-still demand further theoret…

'New Directions in Digital Textual Studies' brings together an exciting collection of book historians, textual editors, curators, and new media theorists to provide templates for and methodological reflections on how digital textual studies research can be done. www.bloomsbury.com/new-directio...

To whom it may concern, and it should concern the editor: I was quoted in your publication: https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/oceans/can-we-engineer-our-way-out-of-ocean-acidification/ Still, others aren't convinced that good intentions are enough. Dr. David Ho, Professor of Oceanography at University of Hawaii at Manoa, a cofounder and the Chief Science Officer of |C|Worthy, a non-profit that works on verifying ocean-based carbon dioxide removal, believes carbon removal efforts like ocean alkalinity enhancement shouldn't be left solely in the hands of private companies. "They have no way to prove that what they're doing is effective - that's a big problem," Dr Ho said. The crux of the dilemma, he explains, is that we are fighting a planetary-scale problem, but are doing it with tools that are still being built and tested. Geoengineering is not inherently good or bad, but it is inherently powerful. And power, especially when exercised in ecosystems as complex and fragile as the ocean, must be handled with caution. However, I have never spoken to your reporter, nor would I have said those things. I would like you to remove my quote from your story, and issue a public correction and apology. Furthermore, you should look into whether the other parts of the article are also factually correct. Thanks. d.

WTF? I was quoted in this story but I have never spoken to the reporter nor would I have said those things. Is everything just generated by LLMs these days?

cosmosmagazine.com/earth/oceans...

We need to teach people the difference between being uncomfortable and being unsafe. Because the discomfort of the safest people is endangering the most vulnerable, all day every day.

Rich people often married younger than the general populace because rich marriages are about securing and consolidating property. Youthful marriages were often not supposed to be consummated until the partners were much older (though of course people did consummate them).

This is fucking terrible

JUST IN: A federal judge has blocked the cancelation of $175 million in National Endowment for the Humanities grants, mass terminated by DOGE in April. She says the effort was transparent viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment.

A D.O.J. Whistleblower Speaks Out

"A canary in the coal mine of the rule of law." This is an immensely important story about the DOJ being turned into an institution that is breaking the law at the behest of the President...the kind of story that would have tanked previous administrations. [Gift link] www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/p...