iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 17h

I'm sorry, I know this isn't forwarding your points and contributing to the conversation. However, I have to say: Space Caligula is just an amazing pseudonym.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 18h

I just published Battle for the Humanities on Medium. I explore why the humanities matter, why we discourage them as useless, and argue we need to renew and prize their study and students stateofaffairs.medium.com/battle-for-t...

stateofaffairs.medium.com

Battle for the Humanities

Please travel with me to a formative moment. Picture in your mind’s eye a religious school. Picture a Catholic school. There are nuns…

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Things I did today that matter. 1. Went mountain biking with my son 2. Read Bird by Bird. My novel is, in fact, progressing! 3. Printed out and edited an absolute trash draft of an upcoming essay. 4. Went on a thirty minute rant with my audio engineer brother about people holding lavalier mics.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

If it works for AI companies to constantly pay each other in their own circular economy, I'm sure we could pay each other to sit in a coffee shop and read and it'll work out just fine.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

That took a hot minute! Interestingly, my goods finally arrived from the Netherlands just last week. Everything survived. Including my Nietzsche plushie.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Same. Loosing access to the physical media has been soul sucking.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Just published: lecternmedia.substack.com/p/the-fire-t... Individuals are asked to fund their disaster resilience. But in an age where affording simply to live is too difficult, it's a hollow ask with frightening consequences.

lecternmedia.substack.com

The Fire This Time

Individual Disaster Resilience in the Unaffordable Age

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

What an amazing #blizzcon. Wonderful community, good friends, and a healthy hit of nostalgia. However, also a double edged sword. Lots of corporate speak and scripted interviews/responses. I'll be writing an article on my experience, and pitching it, this week. #gaming #warcraft #pcgaming

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Year after year, we watch North America ignite. Each year sets a devastating record for heat, drought, and other extremes. Provincial and federal budgets still do not address systemic change: aggressive climate action to curb fossil fuel expansion. #Wildfire #ClimateJustice #EnvironmentalPolicy

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

I have been on and off social media, so believe me when the news of @raulpachecovega.bsky.social death just hit me when I went to lookup something on his website. Like so many other #phd students, his guidance helped me succeed. I'll always use an everything notebook. #academicsky

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

I'm looking for more old manuals, parts catalogues, and any other coffee roaster related materials. Pre 1950s, even 2nd & 3rd wave stuff is getting harder to save. Have something? Send it and I'll archive it for all. #specialtycoffee #coffeeroasting #coffee

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

It's bread baking day. A welcome respite from writing about #wildfires in #canada. I did plan to write about something else, but the discourse on climate change, politics, and education necessitated I finish up a draft.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Certain alliances of religious fundamentalism & neoliberalism produce climate denial. Not through rational argument but through affective resonance. That machine hums, amplifies. It renders the planetary emergency invisible as -a political matter-, even as the effects become impossible to ignore.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

A video of a freight train made the rounds in the media. Stuck near the Armstrong area of northwestern Ontario as wildfire engulfed the tracks. The crew radioed that the fire "could potentially overtake us." They survived, but the comments denied their reality.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Have a story to share about disaster resilience? Want to talk about how you prepare, recovered, and/or barriers you faced? I'm looking for folks in #Canada who would be willing to chat for an article I'm writing on individual responsibility for recovery. #BCWildfires #emergency #britishcolumbia

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Reposted by It's me, Andrew

Our World in Data @ourworldindata.org · 09/07/2026

Until the middle of the 20th century, few countries had political leaders that were women. These were monarchs, who rose to their positions because of their royal lineage.

Line chart of the share of current countries that have had a woman as chief executive from 1789 to 2025, showing two series: any woman chief executive and democratically-elected woman chief executive. Both series are near zero until the mid-20th century, rise modestly from about 1960 to 1990, then accelerate sharply after 1990, with any-woman exceeding 40% and democratically-elected reaching about 30% by 2025. Source: Coppedge et al. (V-Dem) 2026. License: CC BY (author Bastian Herre).

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Alas...out of a country of 350+ million, your Democratic candidate is either neoliberal corporatism imbued or sex crimey.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Such sweet memories! "Insert CD IV" Ok, ok, done. "You are arrested." Son of a....it was the digital version of those write your own adventure stories.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

That's not much. I'd be interested to know how many applicants applied for each one. Then followup to extrapolate if the hires were insiders or hired from outside the department and established TT network.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

I lament not having my old physical media. From the 7(?) x CDs that made up Wing Commander III to my old Beta tester CDs for Star Wars Galaxies and WoW, it's all gone. Mistakes were made. I now purchase physical whenever possible, and visit my local records store and library for CDs and Vinyl.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

How did the managerial class come to be, and what sustains it in Universities today? Genuine question.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Concur with your statement. Faculty are also pressured to accept new tools in their classrooms. Everything from costly participation apps/clickers for in-class checks to online storyboard platforms. The costs in time and lost resources dedicated to teaching must be high.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

On June 23rd, Walt Disney World became one of the hottest places on earth. A cooling systems collapse at the resort left guests unable to escape the heat. What the event has to tell us about our future should cause pause. #disneyworld #climate #environment medium.com/@stateofaffa...

medium.com

Too Hot to Handle

In late June, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, the “city” the Walt Disney World Resort claims as its own, hit nearly 98°F.1 That’s 36°C and…

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Part I of a 3 part series on the dismantling of liberal democracy in the US. Part one covers gerrymandering from Gerry's 1812 districts to Louisiana v. Callais. The redistricting scramble is well underway. stateofaffairs.medium.com/is-the-unite... Parts II and III at lecternmedia.substack.com

stateofaffairs.medium.com

Is the United States Still a Democracy?

In the wake of Citizens United, the 2012 election suggested that the ballot box remained the great equalizer. Today, the path to victory is…

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

"Consider the rule of law a specific claim about who is bound...whether that binding holds when it becomes inconvenient for the people in power. My argument here is that the American system has shifted from a rule of law toward a rule over law." #democracy lecternmedia.substack.com/p/part-iii-f...

lecternmedia.substack.com

Part III: From the Rule of Law to the Rule Over Law

The rule of law is one of the ideals of our political morality and it refers to the ascendancy of law as such and of the institutions of the legal system in a system of governance.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Last in the three part essay series that took us through Gerrymandering, Civil Society, and now the Rule of Law. A nice few days off before I turn to other sordid affairs, like wet bulbs and #disney without air conditioning. lecternmedia.substack.com/p/part-iii-f...

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

I am happy to report I do not attend events associated with secret societies, cabals, and *checks the Dialog agenda* cult formation in the event of WW3. Alas, some well known figures find such things stimulating, no doubt enjoying caviar and w/e else cleanses the palate of morality.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Resilience. You've heard it every wildfire season. I'm tackling the how, why, and who behind it in a work on resource scarcity, and disaster governance in BC and the PNW. Thanks to all who've spoken with me so far! @disasterqueer.bsky.social @kschmutina.bsky.social

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Civil Society. What is it? What's it's purpose? Why is it targeted by authoritarians? For a a brief, jargon free explanation in my essay series on dismantling democracy in America, read Part II: Civil Society at Risk #politics #democracy #edusky

open.substack.com

Part II: Civil Society at Risk

Dismantling democracies through the paralysis of civil society

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

There are three truths in my universe. Death. Taxes. And me dropping everything I'm doing to get more ideas for my D&D characters from @colbypoulson.bsky.social

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

You ever just sit there and think, "wow. I've done a ton today without doing much of anything?"

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

If any of this sounds right or horribly wrong with you and you want to chat more, ping me. I'd love to hear your story.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

What I'm learning about in BC and Disaster Resilience: Heat Dome event in 2021 was a catalyst for systemic changes. Access and communication gaps remain issues Lack of political will and funding = little meaningful action Emergency Managers are working really hard with the tools ($, training) given

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Timing couldn't be better for me with that, so thank you :-) I was just having a conversation on this topic regarding the communication barrier between disaster survivors and the responders that can breed mistrust in institutions.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Hey folks in #disasters up and down the Pac NW. I'm doing some research on #emergencymanagement for a non-academic piece, an essay on individual responsibility and disaster preparedness. Would love to chat with you.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

It's #writing day again. Finishing a first draft on leaving academia. To fuel the emotional roller coaster I ride during this task, I discovered www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcr-... and life is, again, okay. #coffee

youtube.com

Iced Double Brew Recipe! August 2024 - Monthly Coffee Subscription with Ply - Brazil Full Bloom!

YouTube video by Rogue Wave Coffee Co

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

I've walked away from the research and service side of academics, but one quick thing. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing a PhD candidate walk out of a room with the new title of Doctor. Although he is not on BSky, just a shout out into the void for Dr. Sapkota for his amazing work in Nepal.

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

I just finished a longer post that had me combing as far back as I could access via the internet alone. There are some really interesting pieces of Gerrymandering in the Gilded Age I quote, and so much more out there that I could not include lecternmedia.substack.com/p/part-1-are...

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It's me, Andrew @itsandrewrusso.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Thanks for the connection and tips! In sum of the thread we have going, amazing resources you shared. I am thankful and have much more to read now. I finished my "brain candy," the 2nd work in The Last Kingdom series, and must return to non-fiction.

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