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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson
@smbrnsn.bsky.social
6.4K followers 2.1K following 1K posts
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Georgia Reithal Professor Law, Loyola University Chicago. Lots of taxes, jazz, cooking, and cats. Author "God and the IRS: Accommodating Religious Practice in United States Tax Law"
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 17m
I teach at a Jesuit school and we don't have this.

Heck, I attended BYU undergrad, and I don't remember any depictions of the Ten Commandments anywhere on campus.
lpcprof.bsky.social
Christine Corcos @lpcprof.bsky.social · 20m
University of Arkansas installing Ten Commandments posters required by state law arkansasadvocate.com/2025/10/10/u...
University of Arkansas installing Ten Commandments posters required by state law | Arkansas Advocate
The University of Arkansas Fayetteville is preparing to hang hundreds of donated Ten Commandments displays in its buildings in compliance with a new state law.
arkansasadvocate.com
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 19m
The net worth of Apple (~#3.6 *trillion* market cap) crushes the wealthiest religions (except that the Vatican holds priceless art, which means it's hard to provide a precise value). 2/2
smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 19m
Again: sigh.

FWIW, the Catholic church isn't one single corporation. I think (but I'm not sure) that it's organized at the diocese level. So it's hundreds of corporations, at least, most of which have some degree of wealth, primarily in the form of real property. 1/
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 23m
(I mean, okay, Republicans in general. But I'm sure that includes Trump.)
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 24m
Trump take cute animals.
whysharksmatter.bsky.social
David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 30m
Republicans try to weaken 50-year-old law protecting whales, seals and polar bears - ABC News
Republicans try to weaken 50-year-old law protecting whales, seals and polar bears
One of the U.S.’s longest standing pieces of environmental legislation, credited with helping save rare whales from extinction, is the subject of an effort for cutbacks from Republican lawmakers who…
abcnews.go.com
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Reposted by Sam Brunson
joedunman.bsky.social
Joe Dunman @joedunman.bsky.social · 25m
The only sure-bet use cases for this technology are scams and pornography, the essential pillars of the American economy.
mattburgess1.bsky.social
Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 52m
Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year
We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right. Now that we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools, we are going to be able to safely relax the restrictions in most cases. In a few weeks, we plan to put out a new version of ChatGPT that allows people to have a personality that behaves more like what people liked about 4o (we hope it will be better!). If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing). In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our “treat adult users like adults” principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults.
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Reposted by Sam Brunson
ericumansky.bsky.social
Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · 33m
Israel has just cut aid into Gaza by half.

www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
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Reposted by Sam Brunson
msrosenberg.bsky.social
Ms. Rosenberg @msrosenberg.bsky.social · 27m
There are many online resources for eating on a low grocery budget. Here’s a good one, using the Roast Chicken Plan. Rotisserie chickens are still pretty cheap or you can get a whole roaster for 1.99/lb (as of Saturday at HyVee) www.allrecipes.com/50-dollar-gr...
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Reposted by Sam Brunson
jamellebouie.net
jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 28m
moe throwing barney out of the bar where moe is american society and barney is lead poisoning
paris.nyc
paris martineau @paris.nyc · 1h
my latest investigation for @consumerreports.org is based on months of reporting and 60+ lab tests of leading protein supplements

we found that most protein powders and shakes have more lead in one serving than our experts say is safe to have in a day (🧵)

www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein...
Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead - Consumer Reports
CR tests of 23 popular protein powders and shakes found that most contain high levels of lead.
www.consumerreports.org
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mattburgess1.bsky.social
Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 52m
Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year
We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right. Now that we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools, we are going to be able to safely relax the restrictions in most cases. In a few weeks, we plan to put out a new version of ChatGPT that allows people to have a personality that behaves more like what people liked about 4o (we hope it will be better!). If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing). In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our “treat adult users like adults” principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults.
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 28m
So I'm curious (though not curious enough to use it) how many penises and breasts and other anatomical parts ChatGPT thinks erotic adults have.
mattburgess1.bsky.social
Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 52m
Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year
We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right. Now that we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools, we are going to be able to safely relax the restrictions in most cases. In a few weeks, we plan to put out a new version of ChatGPT that allows people to have a personality that behaves more like what people liked about 4o (we hope it will be better!). If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing). In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our “treat adult users like adults” principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults.
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Reposted by Sam Brunson
hailey.at
hailey @hailey.at · 35m
imagine writing this last sentence and not thinking "lol this is weird maybe we shouldnt"
mattburgess1.bsky.social
Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 52m
Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year
We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right. Now that we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools, we are going to be able to safely relax the restrictions in most cases. In a few weeks, we plan to put out a new version of ChatGPT that allows people to have a personality that behaves more like what people liked about 4o (we hope it will be better!). If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing). In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our “treat adult users like adults” principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults.
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Reposted by Sam Brunson
clapifyoulikeme.favrd.social
Mrs. Detective PikaBOO, Esq. @clapifyoulikeme.favrd.social · 31m
Would you say there are cathedrals everywhere for those with the eyes to see
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 29m
But also, my wife was using Google Translate through the services, and the word "shit" showed up and I'm 100% sure the priest didn't say that, so I'm curious what exactly it was translating!) 2/2
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 29m
We went to Mass at an Ouro Preto cathedral, which meant not only was it free, but we got to experience Mass in a cathedral without an organ, which was a really cool experience. (Cooler for me than my family, since I could understand the Portuguese. 1/
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 35m
This is a really important point. And it's not just the Vatican: basically everywhere we travel, we go visit local cathedrals. And they're always free (or, in high-tourist areas, sometimes they charge a nominal fee). And we get to enjoy the art and architecture and peace and activism.
dabenner.bsky.social
Il Pomodoro @dabenner.bsky.social · 38m
the church makes its art available to the public for free.
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dabenner.bsky.social
Il Pomodoro @dabenner.bsky.social · 38m
the church makes its art available to the public for free.
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tulliuscicero43.bsky.social
M. Tullius Cicero 🇺🇦 @tulliuscicero43.bsky.social · 39m
It's noteworthy how often POC are missing from claims like that. See also the common conflation of all Evangelicals with white Evangelicals.

In any case, Trump is decidedly not popular with Catholics here in Hispano/Latino-majority New Mexico. The Archbishop of Santa Fe is taking the lead: 1/
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shoutingboy.bsky.social
Andrew S(poooky) 👻🎃 @shoutingboy.bsky.social · 40m
This Saturday I am going to a No Kings protest right next to my local mall and after the protest my wife and I are going to the Mexican restaurant in the mall and we are having fajitas and margaritas for lunch

Suck it, Trotsky
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sdzdc.bsky.social
Thishasbeenweird @sdzdc.bsky.social · 41m
Yeah, it’s one of the things where Trads are extremely online and make it seem like Catholics in America are passionately fascist when in reality most of them probably don’t meaningfully deviate from other people in their area and demographics
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 41m
Crazy how they never thought of that in their 2000-year history!
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andrewwmiller.com
Andrew @andrewwmiller.com · 42m
The Catholic Church has spent 1500 years doing scholarship on its beliefs and rules. But yeah this random shitposter caught the Pope in a gotcha lol.
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 45m
Yeah, I mean, if someone don't think there's anything beneath the surface of religion, fine I guess, but, like, don't waste your time and mine opining on it then!
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mobyhick.bsky.social
Moby Hick @mobyhick.bsky.social · 49m
People who go to church would have heard the parable of Lazarus and the rich man two weeks ago.
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smbrnsn.bsky.social
Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 49m
I think a lot of it is, certain people have convinced themselves that religion is as surface-level and simplistic as they themselves are.

(If you don't feel the utter scathing disdain in this skeet for people who have literally no curiosity about things they don't believe, well, I skeeted wrong.)
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