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Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

@fkearns.bsky.social

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · Aug 15

The Dragon Bravo Fire at the Grand Canyon hit a water system facility, setting off a dangerous chlorine gas leak that halted the firefight at a critical time.

That was just one of many water-related challenges on this fire, and is indicative of a larger pattern across the western US.

New, from me.

Grand Canyon’s Dragon Bravo megafire shows the growing wildfire threat to water systems

Water systems are vulnerable to melting plastic components, toxic contamination and failures that can leave firefighters without flowing water.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 1h

Most of these people are deeply trained, or at least highly educated, in humanities. Knowing isn’t being.

brasidas @brasidas.bsky.social · 6h

Anyone who claims that Silicon Valley would be better with more humanities education has to grapple with the fact that Peter Thiel was a philosophy major.

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1h

“I’m a senior citizen. I’m tired.”

Truly a devastating story about people unable to recover from disasters, even using all their retirement savings. I fear this for so many of us.

In These Times @inthesetimes.com · 1h

As climate change increasingly becomes a threat not just to homes, but to the very foundations of retirement, even the most careful savers are finding personal effort can’t outpace the risks woven deeply into the financial system.

@adamlmahoney.bsky.social reports

inthesetimes.com/article/clim...

Climate Change Puts A Generation’s Retirement On The Line

Early retirement withdrawals for hardship have tripled since 2020, as disasters strike and insurance fails–leaving workers on their own in old age.

inthesetimes.com

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Reposted by Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 5h

Oh my god

Claire Zagorski, MSc, EMT-P @clairezagorski.bsky.social · 1d

A student on TikTok has been documenting her journey with a professor who “wrote” the anatomy textbook and it’s all a bunch of AI hallucinations.

She’s saying that, understandably, the students are doing super poorly!

Behold what we’re teaching the healthcare professionals of tomorrow:

A diagram of the bones and (some) deep muscles of the hand and forearm. AI says that we only have four digits. It’s also identified a tendon as the median nerve, another tendon as the ulnar nerve, among other issues.

An AI generated diagram of the muscles of the neck. It hallucinated the “ennocleidomasid” muscle, and the “anterior scalpalin muscle”.

An AI generated diagram of the muscles of the lateral thigh. It says that the gluteus Maximus (the big juicy butt muscle) is on the anterior side. It also points to the quadriceps muscle and says “attattment”. It also says that the same structure is the tibia AND the deep fascia of the leg.

An AI generated diagram of the bones of the hand and forearm. This time AI says we have 6 digits. It also says that the radius is the ulnar artery. Among other many issues.

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 6h

Had I not just met one of these “kids,” this piece might have been confusing, but it’s a wild ride either way nymag.com/intelligence...

The AI Kids Take San Francisco

Brilliant, workaholic teenagers are flooding the city — and reshaping our future in their image.

nymag.com

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Reposted by Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

Michelle A. Rodrigues 🐒 @marspidermonkey.bsky.social · 10d

We can remember Goodall’s accomplishments and legacy while recognizing that National Geographic created a narrative that erased the local people who contributed to her research. Her African colleagues deserve to be credited, not erased (10/10).

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Reposted by Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

Grumpy D. Kelson @grumpykelson.myatproto.social · 8h

“One in 5 community college students in [California] has been homeless in the past year, a recent study found.”

www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...

He was a homeless college student. He found hope in a parking lot.

Long Beach City College reserves 15 spots in a parking lot for homeless students. For Edgar Rosales Jr., the program has been a lifeline.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

Sylvia Chi 齊思涵 @sylviachi.bsky.social · 21h

I hadn't been following this bill, but just saw that Gov. Newsom vetoed AB 93, which imposed certain water use reporting requirements on data centers, as part of the business licensing process (including for annual renewals).

calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202...

AB 93: Water resources: data centers. | Digital Democracy

Digital Democracy overview of bill AB 93: Water resources: data centers.

calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org

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Reposted by Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

Jay Rosen @jayrosen.bsky.social · 1d

Did you miss it this week?

I have a new job: president of News Creator Corps. Goes like this.

Via the people now called creators, audiences are migrating to the social layer in the internet stack. Maybe there's a way to move with, rather than against that.

newscreatorcorps.org/2025/10/news...

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

Some people I just think will never die. So sad!

Mark Harris @markharris.bsky.social · 1d

Terribly sad news about one of the greats. Diane Keaton has died at 79.
people.com/diane-keaton...

Diane Keaton, Famed for Roles in 'Father of the Bride,' 'First Wives Club' and More, Dies at 79 (Exclusive)

Diane Keaton has died at age 79. Keaton was best known for roles in movies like 'Annie Hall,' 'The First Wives Club,' 'Something's Gotta Give' and 'The Godfather.'

people.com

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

Oh man! Definitely give it a listen - you’re not alone, sadly

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

100% recommend listening to Bundyville - one of my favorite podcast series of all time.

Brett Zimmerman @b-zimm.bsky.social · 1d

And if you’re wondering how the eff we got to where we are today, the Bundyville podcast is artful and unflinching in its examination of the self-righteous, grievance-fueled sovereign citizen movement.

The persecution that never was.

longreads.com/bundyville/s...

www.opb.org/news/article...

Listen: OPB's 'Bundyville' Podcast

From Longreads and Oregon Public Broadcasting, “Bundyville” returns for a second season to pick up where the first season left off. "Bundyville: The Remnant" is a seven-part series th...

www.opb.org

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

Hadn’t thought about that, but seems important! Good to know on your observations re: locals. I’ve gotten the strong sense many folks are imported.

Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

In the end it showed me more about the fact that I was talking with the absolute wrong people.

Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

Ah, good idea. Just curious how many end up being “tech” jobs vs operations, etc. The main thing I’ve heard people say re: long term jobs is that they are many fewer, may not employ locals or even be local.

Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah we are getting flood notices and extensions every couple of hours. Going to go see the creek levels in person soon!

Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

Had a talk experience once that made me think I was terrible at it, my ideas were shit, etc. and was so tempted to start every talk after with a pre-apology. Really glad that people talked me out of that approach.

Dr. Jenny Morber @jrmorber.bsky.social · 1d

Ladies—do not give up your power. Recently I attended a conference in which an accomplished young woman began her talk with “now is a good time to fall asleep.” She undercut herself before she even started. The man after her said “I want you to listen to me.” Yeah.

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Reposted by Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 1d

New story by @ianjames.bsky.social + highlights options for ground-based, mobile water deployment before, and in early hours of, major fires.

An important space given frequent high winds.

And with currently zero systematic evidence on options and cost effectiveness

www.latimes.com/california/s...

After Palisades fire hydrants went dry, LAFD faced costly delays in getting more water

A report provides reveals additional ways fire crews were stymied in efforts to get enough water to fight the Palisades fire in January 2025. The call didn't go in for tanker trucks and when these arr...

www.latimes.com

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

The lack of consent involved in all these stories is so troubling.

Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

“She highlighted that the project would create more than 4,000 temporary construction jobs and over 300 permanent jobs once the campus is operational.” Would be curious what those 300 jobs are, salaries, etc. www.jsonline.com/story/commun...

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 1d

We’re up almost 2 inches (big deal in a place where average annual rainfall is around 11 in!) after about 36 hours of steady rain. Lots of local flooding - including on I17.

Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 2d

I am in that red blob and a decent rainfall has begun this evening

National Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 2d

Deep tropical moisture surging into the Southwest U.S. will lead to widespread showers and thunderstorms capable of producing flash flooding the next several days. For more info, visit www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/index.php#pa...

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Reposted by Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

Aaron Bady @zunguzungu.bsky.social · 1d

“I had previously assumed a 10-year depreciation curve, which I now recognize as quite unrealistic...Based on my conversations over the past month, the physical data centers last for three to ten years, at most.” futurism.com/future-socie...

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Reposted by Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

tony romm @tonyromm.bsky.social · 2d

NEW: It looks like the number of federal layoffs -- so far -- is over 4,000, we've learned from court documents

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

White House Signals Federal Layoffs Have Begun During Government Shutdown

www.nytimes.com

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 2d

Well, that all seems to be moving in a typical direction - let’s cut down more trees!

Reposted by Faith Kearns, Ph.D.

Danielle Venton @dventon.bsky.social · 2d

New from me: under-the-radar bill could be mst important piece of the wildfire bill package. Will @governor.ca.gov Newsom sign it? We'll know in days: www.kqed.org/science/1998... With thanks to those who spoke w/ me State Sen. @joshbecker.bsky.social, www.megafire.org & @michaelwara.bsky.social.

Will Newsom Sign California’s ‘Biggest Step’ Toward Saving Fire-Prone Neighborhoods? | KQED

A little-known bill will accelerate fire mitigation efforts by clearing space around housing across the state.

www.kqed.org

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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 2d

“If we start thinking about flood insurance more as life insurance for a community, then it provides a safe space for us to have these very difficult and challenging conversations."

Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 2d

We've got a new episode of Water Talk on flood risk and insurance with Kathleen Schaefer, an expert on the National Flood Insurance Policy and what she calls feminist floodplains www.watertalkpodcast.com/episodes/epi...

Ep 73: Reimagining Flood Risk and Insurance — Water Talk

A conversation with Dr. Kathleen Schaefer about flood risk and new approaches for community-based flood insurance. Released October 10, 2025.

www.watertalkpodcast.com

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