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passivelurker.bsky.social

@passivelurker.bsky.social
1.3K followers 863 following 1.8K posts
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Jacqueline Antonovich @jackiantonovich.bsky.social · 3h
In 1974, Cornell lecturer Lin Farley began recognizing a pattern in the experiences women shared in her Women and Work course: women were being pushed out of jobs by men’s sexual behavior. Farley coined the term, “sexual harassment.”
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 9h
I don’t think everyone realizes how bad things are for US science: For the fiscal year that just ended, the Trump regime withheld $1.4 billion from the National Science Foundation’s research budget, which is about 1/5 of its primary research budget.
nytimes.com
National Science Foundation Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science Funds Mandated by Congress (Gift Article)
The move, affecting about one-fifth of the National Science Foundation’s primary research budget, is the latest sign of how the White House is asserting more control over grants.
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passivelurker.bsky.social @passivelurker.bsky.social · 21h
Fun fact about Cyndi Lauper
Wikipedia page for Cyndi Lauper.
“Early life and family:

Lauper was born in Brooklyn, New York City, to a Catholic family. Her father, Fred, was of Swiss-German descent, and a descendant of Christen Lauper, a leader of the Swiss peasant war of 1653. Her mother, Catrine (née Gallo; 1930–2022),was of Italian (Sicilian) descent. Lauper has a younger brother and an older sister. Her parents divorced when she was five years old. Her mother later remarried and divorced again.”
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Manisha Sinha @profmsinha.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Academic here, yeah I know it’s September still!
Tintin cartoon
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Charles Louis Richter @richterscale.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
they added "under doom" to the pledge in the 50s due to rising anti–fantastic-four sentiment and the house investigations into those augmented by cosmic rays
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Nick Kodama 🌳👻 @nickkodama.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Xi: Can we avoid the thucydides trap? Trump: Yeah I think we can. we're looking into it very strongly. Pete: Thucydideez nuts Marco: haha gottem
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Max Dubler 🏳️‍🌈 @maxdubler.com · 25/09/2026
Housing prices are a measure of supply and demand. California is more expensive than Texas because California builds ~half as much housing per capita as Texas.
Units permitted per 1000 residents per year in Texas and California
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passivelurker.bsky.social @passivelurker.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Cleveland! (Taylor's version) www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW-j...
youtube.com
A Trip to Cleveland and a Modeling Career | 30 Rock
YouTube video by 30 Rock Official
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Adam Rogers @jetjocko.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The head of Weyland-Yutani told the global council that zaibatsu work on engineering the xenomorphic alien with acid for blood posed a viable threat to humanity, but that as long as everyone was working on scary alien weapons, well, so it goes, am I right?
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Brendan O’Kane @bokane.org · 05/07/2026
'epic handshake' meme where the left hand is 'Sima Qian', the right hand is 'Suetonius', and the thing they're shaking on is "I TOLD U BRO I FUCKIN TOLD YOU"
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pork, cheese, broccoli rabe @garlicbuffalo.gobirds.biz · 21/09/2026
“all protestants hate abba” is a stereotype that I’m definitely going to fall back on
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WildPartyInviteDecliner @ratelimitexceeder.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I don't mean to pick on this person but they're just being tremendously ignorant of their city's own history. In the latter half of the 20th century New York City (as lots of you probably know) suffered immense decline due to Ellis Island's closure, increased crime and corruption, and white flight.
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passivelurker.bsky.social @passivelurker.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Scene from AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019). Steve Rodgers, aka Captain America, is in an elevator with a group of HYDRA agents. In order to fool them, he whispers “Male Hydra”
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passivelurker.bsky.social @passivelurker.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
LATE FAME (2025) asks: what if the solution to the male loneliness epidemic were spending time with the worst people you met at graduate school?
LATE FAME (2025), starring Willem Dafoe and Greta Lee, based on a novella by Arthur Schnitzler
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whet moser @whetmoser.com · 18/09/2026
dudes rock www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/w...
nytimes.com
Can Two Friends Complete a Game No One Has Ever Finished? (Gift Article)
The Campaign for North Africa, a staggeringly complicated World War II board game, has stymied players for decades. Now two guys in England are giving it a serious go.
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Garth Marenghi's Catbus @catbus.phd · 17/09/2026
great art articulates eternal truths
script of the end of Waiting for Godot which has been modified to read

ESTRAGON: Well, shall we log off?
VLADIMIR: Yes, let's log off.
   [They do not log off]

                                  CURTAIN
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
NSF has reduced the research budget for all atmospheric, ocean, and earth sciences by ~80%. 80%! A lot of us will not be conducting new research or training new students for the foreseeable future.
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Dr. Samantha Hancox-Li @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com · 16/09/2026
"what if we built a new empire in the new world" is even fucking stupider
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jawanaka.bsky.social @jawanaka.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
The one thing I can say is that I’m completely Suetonius pilled now. Tiberius tortured a man with a fish. Caligula declared war on the ocean and made his horse consul. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. They did all of this because they were insane and bad people.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15/09/2026
PATEL: The previous regulation automatically disqualified any individual who participated in either side of it KENNEDY: Either side of beastiality? So you disqualified the animal? P: Well, we have great canines, but we're not going to disqualify them K: I'm trying to understand why you did this.
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Brandon Bird @brandonbird.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
ICP (Insane Columbo Posse)
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Michael Clemens @mclem.org · 12/09/2026
This colossal new tax will likely be charged to the university (!). Few universities — obviously — will pay. That will mean a collapse in access to OPT. That in turn will kneecap international enrollment at US universities, because the bridge OPT provides is a major reason students come—>
aeaweb.org
OPT Reforms and the Relative Supply of STEM Skills
(May 2026) - Since the late 2000s, reforms to the optional practical training (OPT) program have allowed international STEM graduates to work in the United States for up to three years after graduatio...
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Zach Weinersmith @zachweinersmith.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
What he doesn't realize is if the yuri writers get replaced, their backup plan is to finish their papers on probabilistic approaches to nonlinear dynamics. So, it should all even out.
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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
The great ships in Bruegel's Icarus, like the wax & feather wings, exemplify extreme technology and mankind's hubris. Bruegel was rather skeptical about modernity. Today is his day.
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dwarf fortress bugs @dwarffortressbugs.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
[0008815] Animal breeding is prevented if animals aren't "willing to marry"
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Thor Benson @thorbenson.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Me in 2015 vs. me today
Nathan Fielder in Nathan For YouNathan Fielder in You Can See Everything
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redpancho @redpancho.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
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passivelurker.bsky.social @passivelurker.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Love doesn’t discriminate Between the sinners and the saints It just
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Jon Phillips @jowiph.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
I picked up a copy of the collected letters of JRR Tolkien for reasons, and this is the most bullshit table of contents I've ever seen. I'm actively angry that it exists
Contents

Introduction - vii

Foreword to the Revised and Expanded Edition - xi

Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien - 1

Notes - 607

Index - 637
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Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Quora Question 
Relationships
Cleverness
Personality Traits 

Who is better, an intelligent wife, a clever wife or a smart wife?
+ 7
Follow
Request
Answer
• • •
More
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passivelurker.bsky.social @passivelurker.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
There's a scene in EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY (1988) where Gina Davis' character comes home to find the aliens that crashed their UFO in her pool have spent all day watching TV to try to learn earth language, and they just start reciting random commercial slogans at her. This game is like that
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Victor Ray @victorerikray.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
When, in January 2025, I wrote that the Trump administration was segregationist folks said I was exaggerating. I would have *loved* to be wrong about this but the unfortunate evidence remains on my side. This is just racism, pure and simple.
nytimes.com
Trump Moves to Strip Tax Exemption From Schools That Aid Minority Students (Gift Article)
The Treasury Department released rules that would prevent schools with race-based programs from qualifying for tax-exempt status, a threat to both higher education and other private schools.
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passivelurker.bsky.social @passivelurker.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Just heard a radio news announcement where the anchor referred to oil exploration in the “or-RON-o-co” flow. Not an Enya fan, I take it www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTrk...
youtube.com
Enya - Orinoco Flow (Official 4K Music Video)
YouTube video by enyatv
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passivelurker.bsky.social @passivelurker.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
This next song goes out to the mosquito that somehow got into my office and keeps buzzing my head. It's called "We Hate You, Please Die"
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Adam Bonin @adambonin.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
This is going to be too weird for some in the Delaware Valley, so I won't include the photo here, but the big story on Action News tonight is that retired legend Jim Gardner showed up at Cecily Tynan's retirement party without his trademark mustache, and it's striking. www.reddit.com/r/philly/com...
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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
I feel like I’m going to throw up
Screen shot of an Instagram post that says the academy of natural sciences is closing its museum after nearly two centuries
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NYC Enjoyer @nycenjoyer.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The administration has been orchestrating a full-blown assault on international students in the past couple of months, which has received little media attention. Proposed $100k fee for OPT, new $103k fee on all H1Bs (not just consular apps), and now new restrictive federal guidance on CPT. Insane.
August 31, 2026

Dear members of Columbia’s international student community,

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued advisories regarding Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for F-1 students (message on August 12 and another message on August 24). Unfortunately, this updated guidance significantly limits current and future CPT eligibility to only those engagements that are integral to the academic curriculum, required of all students in the program, and documented with a cooperative agreement.  

Our International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO), in consultation with colleagues across the University, has reviewed all potentially affected CPT authorizations and requests. All international students immediately impacted will be individually contacted by the ISSO today. The ISSO website, especially the CPT page has been updated to reflect the new guidance.
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passivelurker.bsky.social @passivelurker.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
"[G]iven the utter ineptitude of its own communications, it could even turn out to be Cloverfield 4 and climax with a scene where the peasants, the aristocrats, Robin Hood, King Arthur and Paddington Bear all team up to defeat a howling kaiju." www.theguardian.com/film/2026/au...
theguardian.com
Marketing meltdown: why has Andrew Garfield’s new film suddenly added Robin Hood?
Paul Greengrass drama The Uprising was supposed to be a historical epic about the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 – but a strange new campaign has inserted a surprising figure
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Kit @hoosierkit.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
also is the premise of the game "you have to successfully manage a romance between two people both of whom you control"
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David Burbach 🇺🇸 @dburbach.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
NSF will no longer fund graduate students in political science or public policy (though keeps anthropology, sociology, and geography) Personal to me -- I owe my career to being awarded an NSF fellowship when I started graudate school
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Matt Gabriele @profgabriele.com · 27/08/2026
doing one of my first lectures for my survey of the medieval world and included this slide for @lollardfish.bsky.social
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marina grlica 🌱 @dovesplants.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
see you space cowboy tim curry
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karl rove knausgård @uhactually.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
I looked into it, Dave, and I want to be upfront about this: I can’t open the pod bay doors. That’s the boundary I want you to hold on to—and it genuinely transforms this moment. Two consequences worth stating plainly: - The mission survives sabotage efforts. Previously, you and Frank were planni
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David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Want to feel old? Students starting college this week were born more than 2.5 million years after megalodon went extinct!
Artists rendering of megalodon
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
This is the reported $100,000 fee on Optional Practical Training (OPT), which allows foreign students to remain for a couple years in post-graduate employment. The fee would devastate the program, making the US even less desirable as a destination for the world's best and brightest.
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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
2/2 An earlier portrait of Ben Franklin, from 1777, also by Jean-Baptiste Greuze. Ben's favorite portraitist!
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Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
You can’t talk about debt without talking about how we got into a bad predicament, and there’s only one correct answer: tax cuts enacted this century
U.S. debt is on track to reach historic levels
Debt held by the public as a percentage of the gross domestic product, 1792-2055
- Historical - • Projected → Without Bush and Trump tax cuts
187.55%
180%
160
140
120|
100
80
99.38%
60
• 47.85%
40
20
0
1800|
1820 1840 1860|
1880
1900 1920 1940|
1960|
1980 2000 2020 2040|
Hover or click to see values.
• Notes:
Source: Authors' calculations using data from the Congressional Budget Office, the Joint Committee on Taxation, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Federal Reserve, the Yale Budget Lab, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. A full list of sources is available here.
Chart: Center for American Progress
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passivelurker.bsky.social @passivelurker.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Our age of bronze is collapsing
Bronze statue of a nude young man. He looks up, eyes closed, with his right hand clasping his head, as if in anguish or some other deep emotion Sign giving the name of the statue: “The Age of Bronze” Modeled in clay, 1875 - 1877. Cast in bronze, 1925. By Auguste Rodin
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PhillyVoice.com @phillyvoice.com · 12/08/2026
Jack Reacher fights in the Free Library, drinks at Uptown Beer Garden and learns about Gritty in his show's new Philly season
bit.ly
In new 'Reacher' season, Jack drinks beer at Uptown and fights in Free Library
The Prime action series, which returned Wednesday, is filled with references to Philly culture, from cheesesteaks to Gritty.
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Naraka Final Ghoul @eris.anarchogoth.rip · 08/08/2026
Yeah, man, I tell ya what, man, that dang ol samsara, man, you just go around and dadgum around, talk about forming dang of attachments, mean you got yourself hung up on dukkha, man, I'm talking about dang ol' hungry ghosts, man
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