Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 27/09/2026I'd really like to see this crisp and very true but technical analysis combined with Masha Gessen discussing how an autocrat lies to be repeated, not to be believed. As a good half of the story of Trump's lying, this is VERY good. Really worth a read. 022
Reposted by Ben from New MexicoSara Mitchell @sbmitche.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Speaking of not trusting what the administration says, a good summary of the pattern of T’s lies. www.cnn.com/2026/09/27/p...cnn.comI started fact-checking Trump 10 years ago. Here are 15 things I’ve learned | CNN PoliticsTen years ago this month, in my old job as Washington correspondent for the Toronto Star, I started what I believed would be a quick little side project: fact-checking underdog presidential candidate ... 12111
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 27/09/2026I was today years old when I learned that both Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent started their careers in the 1977 Illuminatus! Musical. 271
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Thanks to the"free choice" wackos I'm not allowed to get a COVID vaccine since I'm no longer obese and not quite diabetic. 000
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 25/09/2026youtube.com/shorts/DJzM4... . @jamellebouie.net didn't miss!youtube.compound for pound the most racist administration...everYouTube video by Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie 000
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026This is so well said. People losing _skills_ happens all the time as technology makes it easier to live without those skills. Society doesn't suffer much. People losing _agency_ at this scale is something new, and it's CLEARLY bad. 000
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Taking a poll with a sample that is balanced for party affiliation as a prior, and asking that sample what party they're voting for. ♾️🔁 100
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Follow UN action with @anjalikdayal.bsky.social ! 010
Reposted by Ben from New MexicoKen Jennings @kenjennings.bsky.social · 21/09/2026guy who’s been repeatedly hit in the head and completely lost his memory and higher cognition: How could Governor Newsom DO this??? 411323156
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 21/09/2026As @mekka.mekka-tech.com has pointed out and backed with evidence, about half of white Americans and a handful of others (38% in polls)pretty much always support whichever major party leader is the most racist no matter what. Our future depends on what happens with the extra 10% in the opposition. 120
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 20/09/2026Let me be a man to say @leahmcelrath.bsky.social is 100% right, and also not confident enough in this opinion. Genius- intelligent men who think they're more fundamentally important than others are equally dangerous. 001
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 19/09/2026There was a (less harsh) version of this at UNM when I was at student government, with a Black football player holding a watermelon instead of a football; intention aside, what that proved is that the dozens of people that approved the ad included no Black people, and no people connected to same. 2111
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 19/09/2026Bits of art with meaning and feeling I can't justify or describe: A collection. 1. Ojalá que llueva café : a silly little Dominican chart song from the turn of the millenium. When a chorus of kids sing the title in the end, I NEVER fail to cry. www.youtube.com/watch?v=suQC...youtube.comJuan Luis Guerra 4.40 - Ojalá Que Llueva Café (Video Oficial)YouTube video by Karen Records 120
Reposted by Ben from New Mexicojamelle @jamellebouie.net · 16/09/2026new vid up at the youtube channel youtu.be/aNU0g0UExuUyoutu.beWhat Mike Johnson might do to subvert the election — and how you can stop himYouTube video by Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie 36772159
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Mr. Pettus probably muted me long ago, because I would not let go of my objections to a criticism of Ossoff he made before; but I still read his comments, because he does research in this area and says things I respect. Personally, I find Ossoff pretty close to optimal. Do other people mind him? 100
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Here we see an example of the genius with which @jamellebouie.net handles bad faith arguments. 1. Explain why they are bad faith arguments. 2. Dismantle the arguments the way you would a good faith argument. 3. Explain why they are not just bad faith, but stupid. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGYm...youtube.comSmart Answers to Stupid Comments About SlaveryYouTube video by Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie 0174
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026I wish I had saved little brother @samguyjones.bsky.social 's Lobo columns columns, because he once said something like "people don't realize how much power you have to affect so many people's lives when you stop focusing on doing so for the better", and every headline reminds me of that now. 020
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Mathematics is one of the humanities, and has the same dilemmas and problems faced by them -- its purpose is to produce meaning and spread human awareness, and the people pushing AI think its purpose is to create content. Content is not valuable; experience and awareness are. 000
Reposted by Ben from New MexicoCheryl Rofer @cherylrofer.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Good morning team! I posted this thread last night. It's an excellent example of how to deal with a bully. 39125
Reposted by Ben from New MexicoCoffeemancer Vanvidum @vanvidum.bsky.social · 08/09/2026The US desperately needs to kill the spoils system for ambassadorships. 1655
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 08/09/2026When I taught Calc II at Duke University in the late 90s, I scolded my students who hated word problems that "nobody is going to pay you to just do indefinite integrals all day"; 5 years later, I worked for Prentice-Hall doing answer guides -- I was paid to do indefinite integrals all day. 041
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 08/09/2026It would pay for @walshfreedom.bsky.social to read @timothysnyder.bsky.social on this; ideologies of national goodness or innocence are dangerous. Yes, so many Americans have sought to do good in this national project,and so many have ,but destructive power is stopped by resistance, not goodness. 011
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026There's all kinds of things wrong with this post, but I also think it is thought provoking. I think the main lesson here is that it is dangerous to think of countries as inherently good or bad. Moral: Nearly all countries try to do a LOT of bad things, and you can save many lives by stopping them. 011
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026I understand why people say "How high?" or hope for this to go lower, but this is close to the floor. Remember that Alan Keyes (completely bonkers, ignorant, didn't live in the state) got 28% against OBAMA for IL-SEN in 2004. www.abqjournal.com/news/donald-...abqjournal.comJournal Poll: Trump approval falls to 32% in New MexicoA new Journal Poll finds 61% of likely New Mexico voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance. 000
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026My fear and my hope about the aftermath of this are rooted in the same thing; no far-right party has won this much power in a single place so comparable to its neighbors for so long before (the other far-right party only won a _Land_ right before seizing power nationally). _Some_ Accountability. 000
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Good points, and made well. The part that I feel is that people argue about how objectively bad something is when there are net-negative-cost ways to make that thing better. Health care defects, crime, disease have clear low-cost improvements- why aren't we doing them? 041
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Saw in the theatre maybe six times -- no VCR in the house.static.klipy.comMonty Python And The Holy GrailAlt: Monty Python And The Holy Grail : taunting Frenchman! 141
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026The two Gregs-- Greg Hull for Governor and Greg Cunningham for NM02-- are for more of this. @debhaalandnm.bsky.social and Gabe Vazquez are for listening to New Mexicans. 031
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 06/09/2026I give Raskin's answer a solid 7/10. For the other 3 points, point out that Elon Musk is actually setting policy platforms and was given an actual FEDERAL DEPARTMENT, and ask how many times they asked Republicans to react to Musk reposting actual organizational nazis. 000
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Me too! Shout out to Organic books, Nob Hill, Albuquerque NM 010
Reposted by Ben from New Mexicojamelle @jamellebouie.net · 04/09/2026elaborating on some points i've made on here youtu.be/goSvMAf2UKQyoutu.beThere Was No Vibe ShiftYouTube video by Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie 2364890
Reposted by Ben from New MexicoHisstopher Bones @cjiswingingit.bsky.social · 03/09/2026[Adam Jones guitar] braaaang bronnnnnn braaaang bronnnnnn [Justin Chancellor bass] groon gunt ga doon grunt ga doon grunt ga doon [Maynard vocals] suck a fuck and chug a slug i hope you fucking choke [Danny Carey drums] boogadaboogadaboogadaboogadaboogadaboogadaboogadaboogadaboogadaboogadaboogada 063
Reposted by Ben from New MexicoMerriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 31/08/2026macabre = “muh-KAHB” Worcestershire = “WOOSS-ter-sheer” omnipotent = “ahm-NI-puh-tunt” reticent = “RET-uh-sunt” epitome = “ih-PIT-uh-mee” myriad = "MEER-ee-ud" Never make fun of someone if they mispronounce a word. It means they learned it by reading. 795166573672
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 01/09/2026"To pay attention. This is our endless and proper work." 012
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Always loved the spirit of the University o Michigan! Love how JW is keeping it going! People dedicated to doing their best is a great description of the particular character of proud state uni students! 000
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 30/08/2026As always, @jamellebouie.net has the juice. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbPR...youtube.comDonald Trump's presidency is a conspiracy against the ConstitutionYouTube video by Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie 000
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 28/08/2026This article describes how I'm responding to this article, and I don't like the fact that I don't like that I'm in this reaction to this post. 010
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Downgrade a movie, second approach. Les Meh 010
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 28/08/2026I heard @gilduran.com make one rare verbal slip in his hour interview with @wajali.bsky.social about #nerdReich where he referred to people in the cult of the "thermodynamic God" as believing in the "thermo-my-damn-ic god". And I'm keeping that one. 010
Reposted by Ben from New Mexicojamelle @jamellebouie.net · 28/08/2026this seems…insane? and on the face of it, a good example of how not to do historical thinking? 1422053168
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Downgrade a movie: Some range of encounters of some kind. 010
Ben from New Mexico @bluefiddleguy.bsky.social · 27/08/2026Somehow never heard this version of one of my favorite songs before! "Tenderness, not pity" really captures it -- you can hear that Dolly understands these people do work like her own family did, and have the same values and dreams. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEPU...youtube.comDeportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)YouTube video by Dolly Parton - Topic 010
Reposted by Ben from New Mexicojamelle @jamellebouie.net · 23/08/2026here is the thing. if you tell me that you believe that race is a biological category and that it is a guide to the objective superiority and inferiority of groups of people, i am not calling you a racist to *insult* you, i am calling you a racist because it best describes your beliefs. 171146173124
