Karen Masters

With the notable exceptions of the UK & Japan less developed countries are significantly more likely to have school uniforms than more developed ones

Why do you think that is?

Arguments pro and con for them: brilliantmaps.com/school-un...

100% this. Why is it even a topic of interest whether major public racist activist Nigel Farage was also racist in the past

Humankind has launch more satellites in the past four years (2021 - 2025) than in the previous seven decades.

75% of the currently active satellites belong to a single operator (SpaceX).

Really appreciate the clarity of the president saying black people are ruining the country and this entire room of groveling empty suits saying nothing bsky.app/profile/just...

ICE Arrested and Separated Chinese Father From 6-Year-Old Son, Advocates Say The father and son were detained at an ICE check-in on Nov. 26, advocates say. The son’s location is currently unknown, while the father is being held at an upstate ICE facility.

A 6-year-old boy is missing after ICE arrested him and his dad in NYC last week and shipped them off to separate facilities. www.thecity.nyc/2025/12/02/i... @thecity.nyc @gwynnefitz.bsky.social

How sad that even WI has been caught up in the war on trans women. Not sure why a vagina is needed to bake some cakes and make jam.

The Culture Wars Came for Wikipedia. Jimmy Wales Is Staying the Course.

I take Wikipedia for granted. Reading this Jimmy Wales interview reminded me in our Fantasyland age what a remarkable and important creation it is. True pillar of civilization. Runs on only $200 million a year. Requires our support. So I’m finally donating. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/m...

Black ink and pen drawing of an owlet on a tree trunk - from deep CLM Archives

Pen and ink drawing of an owlet - from the deep CLM Archives ...

You do need a friend willing to drive 100km for you though.... or potentially a friend who is currently at least that far away from you....

How to Measure the Earth’s Radius With Legos With just a friend, a phone, and a few Lego bricks, you can accurately measure the size of our planet.

With just a friend, a phone, and a few Lego bricks, you can accurately measure the size of our planet. www.wired.com/story/how-to...

Satellites spot gathering of gigantic tusked animals on remote Arctic island. It has never been seen before | Discover Wildlife The crowd of animals was discovered as part of the Walrus from Space project, which is using satellite imagery to explore what might happen to these huge marine mammals as the climate changes.

Walrus. From. Space.

sunset in the wetlands. a bare tree stands among grasses on the left with water to it's right. there are hills in the background.

“One day I’ll paint the perfect sunset--
if I can only find the words.”
― Atticus Poetry
🧡🤗🧡

Screenshot of a tweet from the user “MC Squared (@mcsquared34)” on X.com. The tweet says: “Pretty wild watching health workers going from ‘essential’ and ‘heroes’ in 2020 to ‘unprofessional’ in 2025.”

They are still essential heroes in my eyes. Thank you to our healthcare workers!

I mean it’s not that early now but for that many people to have gathered there in NYC by now - they must have all started SO early. Why? Half the country is still asleep (it’s not even 6.30am in CA).

I think they are cold. They are professional dancers so unfortunately just used to putting up with pain….

These dancers look cold and like maybe they drank a bit too much coffee. The outside audience looks cold and bored.

Watching the Macy Parade. It’s so bizarre. It’s so early, and cold and so many of the people on screen look like they are being forced to have fun….

The House will have been in session for fewer than 30 days between July 1-December 31 and just had a 53-day recess. He makes $223K/year plus benefits including 75% of all health expenses for his entire family. Affordable Care Act subsidies expire Dec 31st for everyone else’s healthcare coverage.

A barred spiral galaxy from the Galaxy Zoo 2 project, classified by 43 volunteers.

A barred spiral galaxy, observed with the Apache Point 2.5m Telescope in the SDSS survey.

It is at redshift 0.008 (lookback time 114.4 million years) with coordinates (216.09558, 24.61412).

43 volunteers classified this galaxy in Galaxy Zoo 2.

A spiral galaxy from the Galaxy Zoo 2 project, classified by 47 volunteers.

A spiral galaxy, observed with the Apache Point 2.5m Telescope in the SDSS survey.

It is at redshift 0.028 (lookback time 397.0 million years) with coordinates (154.69206, 34.83380).

47 volunteers classified this galaxy in Galaxy Zoo 2.

Alas I did not quite make it. Guess I’ll have to do a few on Sunday and Monday. Sigh.

“The couples and their lawyers said they had followed the required steps: They had submitted extensive paperwork and paid fees. The foreign spouses had been fingerprinted and passed medical exams. None had criminal records. None had entered the country illegally.”

Green Card Interviews End in Handcuffs for Spouses of U.S. Citizens

Gut wrenching: “I had to take our baby from my crying wife’s arms,” Mr. Paul, 33, said, recalling the moment that agents said they were arresting his wife, Katie.

Ms. Paul was sent to an immigration detention center with hundreds of other people swept up in the Trump administration’s crackdown.”

OK I have just 7 left in my list for Dec 1st (or earlier), and I'm calling it... I need a break before I can handle any more anyway...

There is a man hitting things with a golf club outside my office window.... this is how I currently feel about submitting letters of recommendation (Dec 1st deadlines people....). Anyway nearly done for the break.

And now I stop for the day with LoR, but I still have three new letters to write, and 24 separate uploads before Dec 3rd (I did 17 uploads and wrote/updated letters for 4 different people today). 🔭👩‍🔬🎢

Graduate programs with burning ears today probably are US based with Dec 1st deadlines (don't they know that's the Monday after Thanksgiving), or have a long dedicated form where I have to fill in reflections individually for each student (instead of upload a PDF). 👩‍🔬🎢🔭

White House Reclassifies Nursing As Hobby

White House Reclassifies Nursing As Hobby https://theonion.com/white-house-reclassifies-nursing-as-hobby/

Sunset behind a stone observatory.

Sunset skies. Shades of blue pink and orange.

Beautiful sunset this evening. Zoom in to spot the crescent moon. 🔭

A shot from the star trek show. For some reason all the crew have either fallen on the ground or are draped dramatically over their chairs. They appear to be drugged, possibly dead

me: ok six weeks left of 2025 let's get stuff done!

my brain cells: