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Paul Collins

@paulcollins.bsky.social
1.3K followers 191 following 705 posts

Author, Professor of English at Portland State, bewildered radio guest. Personal account. www.pdx.edu/english/profile/paul-collins

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Reposted by Paul Collins
Neglected Books @neglectedbooks.com · 11/10/2026
My wife and I just watched the closing episode of 70 Up and we both felt a sudden and overwhelming sense of loss. We saw 28 Up in Santa Monica when we'd been married a year and have followed ever since. What a privilege to follow these lives. Our thanks to everyone responsible.
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Tim Carvell @timcarvell.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
It remains very funny to me that there are exactly two places where Francis Ford Coppola will allow people to watch this: In movie theaters or -- the way I saw it -- as an in-flight movie on American Airlines.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Charles Dickens on public execution. From his letter to The Times of London, November 14 1849:
Text from Times of London, reading as follows:

"When the sun rose brightly— as it did— it gilded thousands upon thousands of upturned faces, so inexpressibly odious in their brutal mirth or callousness, that a man had cause to feel ashamed of the shape he wore, and to shrink from himself, as fashioned in the image of the Devil. When the two miserable creatures who attracted all this ghastly sight about them were turned quivering into the air, there was no more emotion, no more pity, no more thought that two immortal souls had gone to judgement, no more restraint in any of the previous obscenities, than if the name of Christ had never been heard in this world, and there were no belief among men but that they perished like the beasts.

I have seen, habitually, some of the worst sources of general contamination and corruption in this country, and I think there are not many phases of London life that could surprise me. I am solemnly convinced that nothing that ingenuity could devise to be done in this city, in the same compass of time, could work such ruin as one public execution, and I stand astounded and appalled by the wickedness it exhibits. I do not believe that any community can prosper where such a scene of horror and demoralization as was enacted this morning outside Horsemonger Lane Gaol is presented at the very doors of good citizens, and is passed by, unknown or forgotten. And when in our prayers and thanksgivings for the season we are humbly expressing before God our desire to remove the moral evils of the land, I would ask your readers to consider whether it is not a time to think of this one, and to root it out.

I am, Sir, your faithful Servant.
Charles Dickens
Devonshire-terrace, Tuesday, Nov. 13."
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
WSJ, bringing the receipts: “[Ambassador Guilfoyle] reached out to a Trump donor with an urgent request: She needed $100,000 that she said she owed AmEx - in a way that wouldn’t leave a paper trail…. She warned Deters repeatedly not to commit talk of money or payments to text.”
wsj.com
Exclusive | ‘Honey Please’: Kimberly Guilfoyle Pushed Donor to Wire $100,000 to Her Amex Account
Text messages with a MAGA ally show Guilfoyle seeking funds and offering access to top administration officials before becoming ambassador to Greece.
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Jennifer Szalai @jenszalai.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
It was a short call, Carlberg said: All the poet would say was she
was "in Iceland," where she was
"listening to the wind."
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Erin L. Thompson @artcrimeprof.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Top-tier weird little guy on an incantation bowl from Nippur, Iraq, c 500 BCE, in the Penn Museum.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Idk maybe also printed on cheap paper and thrown at my door by a kid on a bike
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
I’d actually be fine now with a news app that let you turn off all video, animations, & audio
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
This is awesome, & not least because of the mental picture conjured by their union local’s name: “United Wizards of the Coast”
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lauren @lauren.rotatingsandwiches.com · 03/10/2026
"I should get to sit down when I work but you shouldn't" is a great high level summary of labor disputes
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
A+ to Dartmouth's student newspaper: "Dr. Schnell told The Dartmouth in a statement that he used AI 'for language refinement, copyediting, improving clarity and organization...' The newspaper then ran [this] through an AI detector, which flagged the statement itself as apparently written by AI."
nytimes.com
Dartmouth Provost Is the Latest College Professor Examined for A.I. Use (Gift Article)
Dartmouth said it would investigate its provost over A.I. accusations. Similar controversies on other campuses have prompted frustration among students.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Hitchhiker’s Guide. Loved reading it when I was about that age, and so did my kid.
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Neglected Books @neglectedbooks.com · 26/09/2026
You know a great thing about Montana? With nothing more than a MT driver's license, you can check out books from any state university library. Just walk in, select the ones you want, stop by Circulation, and walk out with them. Amazing. Do other states do this?
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Reposted by Paul Collins
Chronicle of Higher Education @chronicle.com · 25/09/2026
In a testimony against a bid by Oregon State's women's basketball players to unionize, the Oregon State's provost said he left the same position at Louisiana State after the state's governor ordered administrators to bring out a live tiger at football games. Details here: chroni.cl/4ybanov
chronicle.com
Oregon State U. Provost Says He Left LSU Over Governor’s Demand for a Live Tiger
Roy Haggerty said Louisiana’s governor had “ordered” the university’s president to arrange for a caged tiger to appear at a football game.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Just a reminder: flu's a bigger deal than a few lost days, & it's not just the young & elderly at risk. Flu precipitates other mortalities; heart attack rates zoom up during & after a bout. I lost my old college roommate to it. He was 51. Please: get a flu shot. (Covid, too!) It's really worth it.
nytimes.com
Covid and Flu Can Triple Your Risk of Heart Attack
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Every time I went to the Oregonian site this week, Avast flagged it for "fake scan" ads, each time emanating from a different outside site. And it's *only* happening there. I've never run into this with another major news site, or indeed with the O before.
Screenshot of the Oregonian's oregonlive.com homepage, with an Avast antivirus alert of "Multiple web threats secured," specificying fake scan ads.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Fascinating piece on lagging inspections of old power poles, which can topple and spark fires. A utility tried to make pole inspection records confidential, but you can see when a pole was installed & inspected from the little circular tags nailed into them. Some in Texas dated to 1936. 🎁 article:
wsj.com
The Texas Trader at War With His Electric Company Over Power Poles
Wildfires are putting America’s aging electric grid under mounting strain at a time when power demand is soaring.
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Tim Carvell @timcarvell.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
My “Doctor Who” idea is that the Doctor is a frog and his companion is a bear and every week they put on a variety show with the help of a very special guest star.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Meanwhile, their local coverage — which still can be good — is getting buried in peekaboo headlines and slop-like syndicated content.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
My Oregonian digital subscription, which went from $100 to 125 last year, is now set to jump to 165. If I was cynical, and perhaps I am, I’d compare this to steep yearly cable hikes that depend on aging legacy customers not noticing.
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Erin L. Thompson @artcrimeprof.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
A lot of yikes in this article about someone who bought $6.7 million worth of fake Warhols, but the attempt to continue the deception by sending fake appraisers is... chef's kiss www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
"The forgery came to light in late 2023, when the Perlman family invited experts from Christie’s to view their collection, which included famous Warhol subjects like Queen Elizabeth II, Debbie Harry and Superman. After Christie’s raised doubts about the works’ authenticity, Roberts told the family they should get a second opinion, according to the lawsuit. Two people purporting to be from the auction house Phillips showed up at the Perlmans’ home with business cards to reassure them the works were genuine. Phillips later confirmed that the people were not their employees, the auction house said. The Perlmans demanded Roberts produce records proving his connection to the Warhol Foundation and the authenticity of the works they bought, according to the complaint. They sued him after he was unable to do so."
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
One jaw-dropping "Oh, but of course" detail deep in the Times story is that the operation moved from what were ostensibly Montessori schools to -- wait for it -- AI instruction.
Screenshot of article text reading: "Guidepost Global partnered with a start-up called 2 Hour Learning. That company is the parent of Alpha School, a new for-profit chain where children are mainly taught by A.I. Under the agreement, Alpha and Guidepost Global would operate as separate entities in the same building, with Guidepost Global focusing on babies and preschoolers, and Alpha running elementary schools. But some schools that the Girns started already had an elementary program, and in those instances Alpha simply took over.

Parents were notified of this Montessori-to-A.I. switch just weeks before the start of a new school year. "
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Nothing says "for-profit ed" quite like grifting on toddlers. Good investigative work by the Times:
nytimes.com
Inside the $440 Million Collapse of Guidepost Montessori (Gift Article)
A man with a vision set out to revolutionize preschool. It became a $440 million fiasco.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
My son and I started watching, on a lark, "The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot" thinking it'd be a "Santa Claus vs The Martians" sort of mess, & instead it's a weirdly melancholy movie with Sam Elliott and Ron Livingston
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Steve Herman @newsguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
President Trump’s promise of a $5,000 cash payment for your vote reminds me of the inducement offered by a huckster during the 1974 election for governor of Nevada. newsguy.substack.com/p/when-candi...
newsguy.substack.com
When Candidates Promise Dividends for Ballots
Decades before Trump’s proposed national windfall, a charismatic conman in Nevada proved that some voters will swallow an impossible promise even after the lie is exposed.
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caroline cash @cashbrowns.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Nancy 9/7/26 … Happy Labor Day 🛠️
8 Hours for Work, 8 Hours for Rest, 8 Hours for What We Will. Based on a screenprint by Ricardo Levins Morales after the organizing work done by Robert Owen.
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Neglected Books @neglectedbooks.com · 07/09/2026
I regret to inform you that the name Lalage Pulvertaft has already been taken.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Years ago @nymag.com ran a terrific oral history of Ms. magazine. It’s one of the best examples of the form I’ve ever seen, and well worth reading today.
nymag.com
An Oral History of ‘Ms.’ Magazine -- New York Magazine - Nymag
Forty years ago, a group of feminists, led by Gloria Steinem, did the unthinkable: They started a magazine for women, published by women—and the first issue sold out in eight days. An oral history ...
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
So TIL that the first formulation of bubble gum was called Blibber-Blubber and that you removed it from your face with *turpentine*
Passage from Prof. Michael Redclift's monograph "Chewing Gum: The Fortunes of Taste" (2004): "It fell to Fleer to experiment with synthetic gum bases suitable for making bubbles, and his experiments lasted more than two decades. Finally, in 1906, Fleer marketed the first commercial bubble gum, which he named Blibber-Blubber.

Despite the facts, that consumers could chew the new gum, that it tasted reasonably good, and that it could produce bubbles, the Fleer factory had not solved the conundrum of how to make a successful bubble gum. Blibber-Blubber stuck to the face, and it had to be removed using turpentine, not a process welcomed in most households."
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WJZ | CBS News Baltimore @cbsnewsbaltimore.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Historic Poe House faces new threat as West Baltimore redevelopment continues
cbsnews.com
Historic Poe House faces new threat as West Baltimore redevelopment continues
The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, located in the 200 block of N. Amity Street, is where the famed writer began writing short stories and launched his literary career.
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Left Coast Reads 📚🌹 @leftcoastreads.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Parallel parking competition. Portland rocks.
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Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 27/08/2026
Scientists are drawing the map of autism-linked proteins in search of treatments. Here’s a story on an ambitious new study. Gift link: nyti.ms/4wWPZpM
A map of autism-linked proteins (diamonds) and proteins they partner with (circles). Wang et al, Science 2026.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Take a moment today for the best video game line reading ever:
youtu.be
Tim Curry is escaping to the one place that hasn't been corrupted by capitalism.
YouTube video by geoff EXE
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
I was idly curious whether heat islands can be reduced a bit with lighter-colored asphalt, and found that (a) indeed they can, and (b) there is a publication called Asphalt Magazine
asphaltmagazine.com
Four ways asphalt can be colorized for aesthetics and functionality - Asphalt magazine
Asphalt has many different uses, from road paving and coatings to sealants and decorative applications. One of the growing trends is the use of colorized asphalt, which combines visual appeal with pra...
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
US healthcare, and healthcare reform, is made so much more difficult by the shell game of endless handoffs, deflection, & buck-passing to state and local levels, private firms, etc. Single-payer can be imperfect, but when it goes awry, at least people know *what* it is and who's responsible.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Good reporting here, with a very useful map showing the blizzard of names for Medicaid in every state. Many people don't know they're even on Medicaid, think they're not insured when they are, or vice versa. Though the article's focused on Oregon, it's the story of other states too. Gift link:
oregonlive.com
New Medicaid rules could hit 600,000 Oregonians. Many may not know it
Oregon is racing to notify OHP members about new federal eligibility rules that could leave up to 200,000 people without coverage.
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Kathy Valentine @kathyvalentine.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
if you've ever enjoyed Richard Lloyd's music, it's a good time to show some support and appreciation. Unable to work and the bills are piling up. #Television #FuckCancer
gofund.me
Donate to Help Richard Lloyd Fight Cancer, organized by Sean Seymour
I've organized this fundraiser for Richard Lloyd, my friend and bandmate in the Richard … Sean Seymour needs your support for Help Richard Lloyd Fight Cancer
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
This regulation -- that door handles must be clearly identifiable so people can quickly enter / exit in emergencies -- is a really good idea. (Also: it's weird & arrogant that Tesla et al created this problem to begin with.)
nytimes.com
In China’s Biggest Car Recall, Tesla and 8 Others Will Address Door Safety (Gift Article)
China’s regulator ordered changes after vehicle occupants sometimes had difficulty exiting electric cars, an issue that has led to lawsuits against Tesla in the United States.
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iain @maccoinnich.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
This is a good read, and while the Lloyd Center isn't mentioned it tells its story perfectly. KKR announced that it would foreclose on the mall in 2021; it took until 2026 to close it. A lot of the work that happened in those five years was unwinding decades old covenants.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
🎵 I've seen lots of funny men; Some will rob you with a six-gun, And some rob you of your fountain pen. 🎵
nytimes.com
Ken Paxton’s $1,000 Pen Incident Resurfaces in Texas Senate Race (Gift Article)
The pen Mr. Paxton pocketed more than a decade ago has resurfaced as a campaign issue.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
This article on Korean papermaking is lovely, and a fine antidote to any dreary news of the day. Gift link:
nytimes.com
Ancient Korean Papermaking Finds a Home in Ohio (Gift Article)
Aimee Lee learned to make hanji with Korean masters. Now she practices their traditional technique in the United States.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
One thing I've wondered: Online courses, unlike F2F, typically can save student work indefinitely. If detection gets good, will some schools or profs retroactively scan student work? What happens to a student's course credit or degree completion if, years later, a school finds their work was AI?
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Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
There are four overlapping scandals here: 1. Fundraising spam tactics are hallmarks of elder financial exploitation 2. The Dem establishment is in on it 3. Most of what is raised goes to fundraising consultants 4. Capitulation to legal threats by NYT and The Bulwark on a fully vetted story 🧵👇
data4democracy.substack.com
Hook and Squeeze
How Democratic consultants, committees, and party leaders built a fundraising spam pipeline that funnels money from a captive pool of elderly donors into their own operations.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Bots Explain My Own Books to Me
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Ah - that's a good question, looking again I'm seeing he was prosecuted for 1st degree assault (intentional), but actually convicted on 3rd degree (recklessness/indifference). Deleting that post.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
I appreciate how much the Times has been covering this. The US has a real problem with regulating cars and with holding drivers accountable for stuff that would be taken far more seriously in any other context. Gift link:
nytimes.com
Why Older Pedestrians Are More Likely to Die After Being Hit by a Car (Gift Article)
They are more likely than other age groups to die after being hit by a vehicle.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
“He was given two options: step down by July 1 and sign a nondisclosure agreement in exchange for 11 months’ severance, or be terminated, with his last day in December. He chose the latter.” Trying to buy off profs for NDAs is…not a sign of an administration acting in good faith. Gift link:
nytimes.com
He Had Tenure. The New School Laid Him Off Anyway. (Gift Article)
The professor, a longtime critic of the university, was among 19 educators who lost their positions as the institution navigated financial woes.
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Annaliese Paulson @annaliesep.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
New Working Paper with Micah Baum and Joaquin Endara: Students tend to become more liberal during college. We study whether individual faculty make their students more liberal. We find no evidence that faculty affect student partisanship. Working Paper: edworkingpapers.com/ai26-1538 1/
edworkingpapers.com
Do Faculty Affect Student Partisanship?
We study whether Democratic college professors make their students more liberal. We link voter data to salary records from 33 state flagships and show that faculty skew Democratic, especially in the h...
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Longing for the days when a drummer could buy cymbals with great brand names like Borg, Krut, and Spizz
Photo of a Krut cymbal, presumably named for the sound it made in a Don Martin comicPhotos of a cymbal, proudly branded SPIZZ in large lettersPhoto of a Borg brand cymbal. You have been assimilated.
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Paul Collins @paulcollins.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
A stroll through the Right to Roam: "The Kinder mass trespass of 24 April 1932... included some 400 young men and women from Manchester, Sheffield & the surrounding mill towns who defied the law and walked across the privately owned plateau of Kinder Scout, which was then used for grouse shooting."
bbc.com
Retracing the defiant walk that changed Britain
Seventy-five years after the Peak District became Britain's first national park, visitors can retrace the mass trespass that helped open the countryside to everyone.
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