Bailey Poletti
@baileypoletti.bsky.social
PhD in medieval apocalyptic history, esp. 900-1100, but I try to read broadly. Trying my hand at fiction. All prophecies my own (and most likely wrong). He/him.
Pinned
Bailey Poletti
@baileypoletti.bsky.social
· Sep 29
Medieval Authors: "Do you think the Greeks might have been the baddies?"
Roman Authors: "Do you think the Greeks might have been the baddies?"
Greek Authors (including Homer): "Do you think the Greeks might have been the baddies?"
Americans: "Look at me: I'm sacking Troy!"
Roman Authors: "Do you think the Greeks might have been the baddies?"
Greek Authors (including Homer): "Do you think the Greeks might have been the baddies?"
Americans: "Look at me: I'm sacking Troy!"
"God was finally going to believe
in a man both good and strong,
but good and strong are
still two different men."
-Wislawa Szymborska, "The Century's Decline," 1993
in a man both good and strong,
but good and strong are
still two different men."
-Wislawa Szymborska, "The Century's Decline," 1993
Which lines of poetry live rent-free in your head?
December 7, 2025 at 1:57 AM
"God was finally going to believe
in a man both good and strong,
but good and strong are
still two different men."
-Wislawa Szymborska, "The Century's Decline," 1993
in a man both good and strong,
but good and strong are
still two different men."
-Wislawa Szymborska, "The Century's Decline," 1993
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
Just imagine standing in that court with that child—baby, really—and listening to his little voice and having to pretend that something lawful and reasonable is going on. It requires you to fully break with reality.
When I worked in immigration law this wasn’t as common as it is now, but it happened, and it made everyone in the room so desperately uncomfortable, the way you are when you are confronted with your own bald-faced lie that you have to keep up. This is from 2016.
December 6, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Just imagine standing in that court with that child—baby, really—and listening to his little voice and having to pretend that something lawful and reasonable is going on. It requires you to fully break with reality.
"Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?"
-Luke 6:9
Very soon they'll claim that "The Needle's Eye" was a popular stable for camels that only the wealthy were ever able to afford to use.
-Luke 6:9
Very soon they'll claim that "The Needle's Eye" was a popular stable for camels that only the wealthy were ever able to afford to use.
She compares the boat strikes to Jesus breaking the sabbath to heal someone.
December 6, 2025 at 9:40 PM
"Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?"
-Luke 6:9
Very soon they'll claim that "The Needle's Eye" was a popular stable for camels that only the wealthy were ever able to afford to use.
-Luke 6:9
Very soon they'll claim that "The Needle's Eye" was a popular stable for camels that only the wealthy were ever able to afford to use.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
This is 100% true. A guy paid a million dollars JUST to write the first book about it. Techbros were absolutely convinced it was world-changing.
Younger people who didn't witness it cannot fathom the hype around the Segway. Every news station agreed it would revolutionize the entire social fabric of the Earth. That all future humans would divide history between the savage days of the past, and the soon to be new era of zoom zoom scoot scoot.
December 3, 2025 at 10:44 PM
This is 100% true. A guy paid a million dollars JUST to write the first book about it. Techbros were absolutely convinced it was world-changing.
I finished an edited draft of a fantasy novel today. Now it's the beta-readers' problem!
December 3, 2025 at 10:02 PM
I finished an edited draft of a fantasy novel today. Now it's the beta-readers' problem!
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
She shouldn't have to keep doing this by herself. She is supposedly a member of a political party and every single one of her *colleagues* should be BLASTING the fascist in chief. ALL OF THEM. Where is the solidarity???
Congresswoman Omar calls Trump's comments about her 'creepy' after the US president launches into an anti-Somali tirade.
Ilhan Omar denounces Donald Trump for calling Somali immigrants ‘garbage’
Congresswoman Omar calls Trump's comments about her 'creepy' after the US president launches into an anti-Somali tirade.
bit.ly
December 3, 2025 at 12:34 AM
She shouldn't have to keep doing this by herself. She is supposedly a member of a political party and every single one of her *colleagues* should be BLASTING the fascist in chief. ALL OF THEM. Where is the solidarity???
These were my neighbors and students once. I'm physically sick.
Officials prepare immigration operation in Minnesota that would focus on Somali immigrants, source tells AP, as Trump says he doesn't want Somalis in U.S.
Federal authorities plan operation in Minnesota focusing on Somali immigrants, AP source says
Federal authorities are preparing an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, focusing on Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the U.S.
bit.ly
December 3, 2025 at 3:57 AM
These were my neighbors and students once. I'm physically sick.
Me, a fool with a phd: "A coalition of military aristocracy, high church officials, and commoners practically invented what we understand as the rules of war over a thousand years ago because they saw violence as materially and spiritually harmful to all."
Our Sec. of Def: "Why warriors if no war?"
Our Sec. of Def: "Why warriors if no war?"
Hegseth is very transparently blaming a Navy admiral for his own decision. Let this be a lesson for every other military officer: The Trump administration will issue unlawful orders, then blame you for following them.
December 2, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Me, a fool with a phd: "A coalition of military aristocracy, high church officials, and commoners practically invented what we understand as the rules of war over a thousand years ago because they saw violence as materially and spiritually harmful to all."
Our Sec. of Def: "Why warriors if no war?"
Our Sec. of Def: "Why warriors if no war?"
These people would read "The War Prayer" and not get (or admit) that it was satire.
Yesterday, the White House posted a birthday tribute to Mark Twain that attributes a quote to the author that he never wrote nor said, and then it uses that lie to tie Twain to Trump's agenda. Twain would have wanted Trump and every idiot in this administration whipped into the hinterlands.
December 2, 2025 at 1:49 AM
These people would read "The War Prayer" and not get (or admit) that it was satire.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
Dems release a video reminding troops of their responsibility to disobey illegal orders.
They’re called seditionists.
WaPo breaks the news that Hegseth said to kill survivors of a boat strike.
WH: “It wasn’t him! It was Admiral Bradley!”
This is why you disobey illegal orders
They’re called seditionists.
WaPo breaks the news that Hegseth said to kill survivors of a boat strike.
WH: “It wasn’t him! It was Admiral Bradley!”
This is why you disobey illegal orders
December 1, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Dems release a video reminding troops of their responsibility to disobey illegal orders.
They’re called seditionists.
WaPo breaks the news that Hegseth said to kill survivors of a boat strike.
WH: “It wasn’t him! It was Admiral Bradley!”
This is why you disobey illegal orders
They’re called seditionists.
WaPo breaks the news that Hegseth said to kill survivors of a boat strike.
WH: “It wasn’t him! It was Admiral Bradley!”
This is why you disobey illegal orders
Not the most important part, but important for RW framing, but The Essay did not "use the Bible" to defend static gender norms. She said "the Bible says" and then said whatever she wanted. Didn't even do chapter:verse. And that's the way Christofascists prefer.
December 1, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Not the most important part, but important for RW framing, but The Essay did not "use the Bible" to defend static gender norms. She said "the Bible says" and then said whatever she wanted. Didn't even do chapter:verse. And that's the way Christofascists prefer.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
Either you understand that there is an organized campaign to push trans people out of public life with the explicit end goal of "morally mandating us out of existence" that is backed by some of the wealthiest individuals to have ever lived, or you're simply not equipped to grasp what's happening.
December 1, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Either you understand that there is an organized campaign to push trans people out of public life with the explicit end goal of "morally mandating us out of existence" that is backed by some of the wealthiest individuals to have ever lived, or you're simply not equipped to grasp what's happening.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
Beautiful!
On Mars, dust grains are ~ the same size as visible light wavelengths, so they scatter red light away (Mie scattering) and let blue through near the Sun.
On Earth, air molecules are far smaller, scatter blue away (Rayleigh) and leave red.
Same physics, inverted colors!
🔭 🧪 #science
On Mars, dust grains are ~ the same size as visible light wavelengths, so they scatter red light away (Mie scattering) and let blue through near the Sun.
On Earth, air molecules are far smaller, scatter blue away (Rayleigh) and leave red.
Same physics, inverted colors!
🔭 🧪 #science
My artwork of a Sunset on Mars. Dust and small particles suspended in the Martian atmosphere scatter light in the direction of the Sun forward. This creates a blue halo around the setting Sun, rendering a Martian landscape quite different from its terrestrial equivalent.
#ArtAdventCalendar
#SciArt
#ArtAdventCalendar
#SciArt
December 1, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Beautiful!
On Mars, dust grains are ~ the same size as visible light wavelengths, so they scatter red light away (Mie scattering) and let blue through near the Sun.
On Earth, air molecules are far smaller, scatter blue away (Rayleigh) and leave red.
Same physics, inverted colors!
🔭 🧪 #science
On Mars, dust grains are ~ the same size as visible light wavelengths, so they scatter red light away (Mie scattering) and let blue through near the Sun.
On Earth, air molecules are far smaller, scatter blue away (Rayleigh) and leave red.
Same physics, inverted colors!
🔭 🧪 #science
I named my fists Dreyfuss and Spielberg because they have close encounters with jaws.
I named my fists Old Man and The Sea because I’ve got a mean hook.
I named my fists Moby and Dick because I am about to whale on you.
December 1, 2025 at 6:59 AM
I named my fists Dreyfuss and Spielberg because they have close encounters with jaws.
Sometimes I think Finland got merged with earth from another realm. This does nothing to invalidate that theory.
Taiwanese ambassador to Finland performs with his metal band at Taiwan-Finland cultural event! 🤘✊️
That's what I call great ambassador
That's what I call great ambassador
November 29, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Sometimes I think Finland got merged with earth from another realm. This does nothing to invalidate that theory.
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Great Horned Owl
African Elephant
Grizzly Bear
Bison
Arctic Fox
Great Horned Owl
African Elephant
Grizzly Bear
Bison
Arctic Fox
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Goliath heron
Himalayan vulture
Cerulean warbler
Laysan albatross
Australian king parrot
Goliath heron
Himalayan vulture
Cerulean warbler
Laysan albatross
Australian king parrot
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Blue whale (and calf)
Mexican free-tailed bat
King rail
Portuguese man-o-war
17 year periodical cicada
Blue whale (and calf)
Mexican free-tailed bat
King rail
Portuguese man-o-war
17 year periodical cicada
November 28, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Great Horned Owl
African Elephant
Grizzly Bear
Bison
Arctic Fox
Great Horned Owl
African Elephant
Grizzly Bear
Bison
Arctic Fox
Very good 🧵
Why don't we like "AI?"
You try to put it into everything in nonsensical ways.
It doesn't work the way you claim it will.
You don't pay for the work you use to generate it.
Your intent is labor reduction without a contributory return.
You know it's unpopular so you try to hide it.
You lie about it.
You try to put it into everything in nonsensical ways.
It doesn't work the way you claim it will.
You don't pay for the work you use to generate it.
Your intent is labor reduction without a contributory return.
You know it's unpopular so you try to hide it.
You lie about it.
November 28, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Very good 🧵
Vance: *says falsely that Christianity and/or Europeans are solely responsible for Good Thing*
Someone: *asks that said Good Thing be done*
Vance: *says "no" in the smarmiest way possible*
Repeat forever.
Someone: *asks that said Good Thing be done*
Vance: *says "no" in the smarmiest way possible*
Repeat forever.
VP JD Vance stood before a crowd and tried to falsify history, claiming Christians ended widespread mass child-sacrifice practices among Native Americans
November 28, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Vance: *says falsely that Christianity and/or Europeans are solely responsible for Good Thing*
Someone: *asks that said Good Thing be done*
Vance: *says "no" in the smarmiest way possible*
Repeat forever.
Someone: *asks that said Good Thing be done*
Vance: *says "no" in the smarmiest way possible*
Repeat forever.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
This is powerful.
An Autobiographical Essay by Caroline Walker Bynum.
'That very summer, with unpacked boxes all around me, I wrote the article that became the title essay of Jesus as Mother and I filed papers to adopt a child as a single parent.'
www.ias.edu/sites/defaul...
An Autobiographical Essay by Caroline Walker Bynum.
'That very summer, with unpacked boxes all around me, I wrote the article that became the title essay of Jesus as Mother and I filed papers to adopt a child as a single parent.'
www.ias.edu/sites/defaul...
November 27, 2025 at 10:28 PM
This is powerful.
An Autobiographical Essay by Caroline Walker Bynum.
'That very summer, with unpacked boxes all around me, I wrote the article that became the title essay of Jesus as Mother and I filed papers to adopt a child as a single parent.'
www.ias.edu/sites/defaul...
An Autobiographical Essay by Caroline Walker Bynum.
'That very summer, with unpacked boxes all around me, I wrote the article that became the title essay of Jesus as Mother and I filed papers to adopt a child as a single parent.'
www.ias.edu/sites/defaul...
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
Man fuck hobby lobby and read this book
Can I promote my soon-to-be-published book? The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby (PublicAffairs 2026) “A revelatory account of how the family behind Hobby Lobby rose to political prominence and used their influence—and fortune—to push a radical religious agenda” bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
November 27, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Man fuck hobby lobby and read this book
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
Tsaaku Uratabeni- Happy Thanksgiving in Comanche. :) 🦃
November 27, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Tsaaku Uratabeni- Happy Thanksgiving in Comanche. :) 🦃
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
i’m biased, but i’m thinking academic(!) religious studies needs to be taught in US public schools.
VP JD Vance stood before a crowd and tried to falsify history, claiming Christians ended widespread mass child-sacrifice practices among Native Americans
November 27, 2025 at 4:52 PM
i’m biased, but i’m thinking academic(!) religious studies needs to be taught in US public schools.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS! EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHED BOOKS! Do not ask me how my writing is going.
Because @lollardfish.bsky.social says we should promote our books: utpress.utexas.edu/9781477313138/
Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back
Triumphant wins, gut-wrenching losses, last-second shots, underdogs, competition, and loyalty—it’s fun to be a fan. But when a football player takes a hi...
utpress.utexas.edu
November 26, 2025 at 6:33 PM
PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS! EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHED BOOKS! Do not ask me how my writing is going.