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Gary L. Herstein

@philosophe1957.bsky.social
1.8K followers 566 following 2.3K posts

Philosopher (earned Ph.D., Whitehead scholar), author (sort of), opinionated lefty, cat servant. Only respond to Chats from people I already know. Only follow back folks with some OC. independent.academia.edu/GaryHerste… garyherstein.com

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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
From elsewhere on the web: "In Texas, kids can learn a whale swallowed a man on God's orders, but not that slavery was wrong."
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
"The militaristic drive to build the best chatbot and somehow “beat China” knows no bounds, including those of logic. This nightmarish iteration of the extraction economy was made possible by undemocratic processes and a national administration that sold us and our resources out to tech oligarchs."
newrepublic.com
Nobody Here Wants the Data Center: An Oral History
We’ve gathered stories from all across the country detailing what happens when Big Tech’s latest monstrosities come to town.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Search engines such as @duckduckgo.com default to traditional search. Plus, DDG does not track you across the internet the way Google did even before the AI abomination.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
"while Americans workers are being dragooned into using AI, American consumers are being force-fed AI whether they want it or not. Most dramatically, Google has replaced its search engine with AI, without offering the option to opt out."
paulkrugman.substack.com
Why Does Everyone Hate AI?
It’s the fear, the enshittification, datacenter hostility, and the tech broligarchy
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
"O’Brien notes that “[b]ecause the U.S. has no significant leverage over Iran, the Trump administration…will simply have to dissemble about non-existent Iranian concessions to try and make it seem that they have not been completely routed”."
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
June 24, 2026
Today, strategic studies scholar Phillips P.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
So there are 14 women for IV (Meir is in orbit, and would never be rotated directly over to Artemis.) If *YOU* were a woman astronaut, how hard would you be fighting to be GUARANTEED that you'll NEVER be the first woman on the moon?
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
And it is an ABSOLUTE GUARANTEE that no one on Artemis III will be on Artemis IV. That is how the system works. So four male astronauts are automatically scratched from the moon mission, but not one woman. Also, no one on Artemis II will be on IV: so scratch 7 men, and 1 woman.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
There are 16 women astronauts, one (Jessica Meir) is on the ISS, and none of them have the extensive *TEST* flight experience called for by this specific mission. Artemis II was a test of the command module in translunar flight with a crew composition representative of the IV mission.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
NASA is grooming its top female astronauts for the landing. Skipping a LEO test flight might be worth being the first woman on the moon, don't you think?
youtube.com
The Right Stuff • Soundtrack Suite • Bill Conti
YouTube video by HD Film Tributes
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Artemis III is a LEO (Low Earth Orbit) test of docking, flight, and maneuver with the new moon lander. An important and necessary step, but let's face it: this one ain't carrying the mail. And it is an *absolute guarantee* that NONE of the astronauts on III will be on IV, the actual landing.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
NASA has named the astronauts for the Artemis III mission. No women on the crew this time. I've seen some complaints in the comments about this, but here's the thing:
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
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NY Times Pitchbot @nytpitchbot.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Republicans say James Talarico ordered a vegan taco. Democrats say that it wasn't vegan because it had both egg and cheese—doubling down on the cultural elitism that has cost them so dearly in recent elections.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
― Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism (pg 340, loc 7173 kindle edition).
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
“Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.”
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
"Putin has now personally taken control of the situation" Oh good. I feel safer already ...
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
From elsewhere on da' web: "Do I agree with everything Satan does? No. But he's tough and gets things done." -MAGA "Christians", basically
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Rubio: "I have the softest mouth." Vance: "No, *I* have the softest mouth."
newser.com
Rubio Tops Cabinet Meetings in Flattery, Vance in Insults
New York Times review compares how secretaries use their time with Trump
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
So it is being held in *China* b/c that country presents far fewer obstacles to international travel and scholarship.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
We, here at SIUC, were set to host the International Whitehead Conference (a very big deal) and finally had to cancel b/c the fascist Trump regime made travel so dicey.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Quelle surprise: "Many European academics are opting out of one of the largest annual gatherings for business scholars because it is being held in the US, citing concerns over data privacy, their opposition to travel bans and the political climate under the Trump administration."
timeshighereducation.com
European academics shun US business conference over Trump fears
Academy of Management to move event in future years as regular attendees stay at home owing to visa fears and opposition to president’s research policies
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
For those who don't know: Veterans Day is for those who came home. Memorial day is for those who did not.
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Scott Dworkin @dworkin.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
“We will not let them.” — Maine Sec. of State Shenna Bellows after a federal judge blocked the DOJ's aggressive demands for private voter data. Read how state officials are successfully fighting back against federal overreach: www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/republican...
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
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Alicia @aliciablackgirl.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
"Every time anyone says that Israel is our only friend in the Middle East, I can't help but think that before Israel, we had no enemies in the Middle East." -- John Sheehan, S.J. (a Jesuit Priest) #trump #maga #Iranwar
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
"A group of 38 prominent scientists from around the world ... called for a halt on the creation of of a novel synthetic bacteria that, if realized and accidentally leaked into the environment, could dodge typical ecological checks and lead to an uncontrollable spread of deadly infection"
noemamag.com
The Doomsday Organism | NOEMA
Scientists working on synthetic “mirror life” have come to realize that, if created, it could pose an existential threat to life on Earth.
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Reposted by Gary L. Herstein
Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
If I grow up I want to write this well www.nytimes.com/2026/04/27/b...
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
"Independent analysts have also said multi-year-high fuel prices in the United ⁠States could weigh ​on demand during the peak summer travel season, while also posing a major political challenge for Trump just months ahead of ​midterm elections in November."
reuters.com
US EIA concedes Middle East supply disruptions are far worse than prior estimates
The U.S. Energy Information Administration on Tuesday revised its earlier forecasts to reflect a ‌much bigger and lengthier hit to global oil supplies from the Iran war than it previously projected, h...
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
"The national drought picture is increasingly grim. According to the latest US Drought Monitor, more than 60% of the lower 48 states are now gripped by drought. It’s the most widespread spring dry spell since the monitor began in 2000."
theguardian.com
Lasers in the sky: hi-tech missions track record snowpack loss in US west
Data from missions showing critically low snowpack on mountains across the west raises alarm among experts
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
A toolkit for persons who would aspire to be journalists, and not merely stenographers:
thedial.world
Journalism Today — A Toolkit for Reporters
Advice from around the world on how to keep working under threat.
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Reposted by Gary L. Herstein
Dr. Mar @boldnewme.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Dana Cooper's Ballad for a battle-scarred, feral cat:
youtube.com
The Ghost of Tucumcari - Dana Cooper - Lyric Video
YouTube video by Dana Cooper
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
That is about as horrifically creepifying as anything I could imagine. They look like some kind of mutant from "The Thing."
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
How in the everlovingfuck does a cut in Capital Gains tax help the average voter? How many flavors of stupid are the Republicans, or is that an unfair question because it presupposes a finite number for an answer?
yahoo.com
Republicans Eye Capital Gains Tax Cut to Ease Voters’ Anxieties
(Bloomberg) -- Republican lawmakers are looking at ways to lower taxes on capital gains as the party searches for new ways to woo voters worried about the cost of living heading into November’s midter...
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Hope the party was worth it. "The blaze was started by a foil balloon hitting live power lines. That created an electrical arc that ignited combustible material on the ground."
yahoo.com
Georgia wildfires that destroyed more than 120 homes continue to threaten residents
Two wildfires in southeastern Georgia continued to threaten homes and lives on Saturday as officials warned that strong winds could spread the flames. Brantley County Manager Joey Cason called it a “...
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
And then I still manage to publish mountains of typos. I am the world's worst copy editor.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
AI can't smell, but it does stink.
noemamag.com
Why AI Needs A Sense Of Smell | NOEMA
Scent is a vital component of human intelligence. But in our quest to advance artificial intelligence, nobody seems to care about it.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
"A reader encountering that chorus receives a very clear signal: suspicion is unnecessary here, because the institutions have already done the doubting for you. But the trust in this case would have been wholly misplaced." "American Cosmic" and the dancing woo-woo masters.
joncogburn.substack.com
What Happens When Peer Review Forgets Demarcation
How Oxford, LARB, and a chorus of praise turned credulity into scholarship and deepened epistemic injury
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
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Miaganga @miaganga.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
"Struggles against oppression start with people critically reflecting on their experiences. What happens to such struggles when we outsource our thinking to AI and replace human interlocutors with sycophantic chatbots?"
jacobin.com
Movements Need the Critical Thinking That AI Destroys
Struggles against oppression start with people critically reflecting on their experiences. What happens to such struggles when we outsource our thinking to AI and replace human interlocutors with syco...
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Further commentary would be superfluous ...
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
borowitzreport.com
Trump Gives Himself Two Weeks to Invent New Distraction from Epstein Files
“Threatening to annihilate a nation of 90 million people worked for about a day, but now I need to come up with something else,” Trump said.
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Gary L. Herstein @philosophe1957.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
TACO Tuesday:
apnews.com
Live updates: Trump pulls back on Iran threats for two weeks, subject to Iran agreeing to terms
President Donald Trump says he’s pulling back on his threats to widen attacks on Iran — subject to Iran being ready for a two-week ceasefire and to reopen Strait of Hormuz.
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