gelbach
gelbach.bsky.social
gelbach
@gelbach.bsky.social
Expert provider of lay opinions.

Day job: Herman F. Selvin Professor of Law at UC Berkeley Law. Opinions my own, not intended to represent UC's.
I still think about how Mrs. Jarrett put me in the lower math group in 4th grade bc I did the long division problems without her boring algorithm

Had my mom not intervened, maybe I would have wound up hating math

Teaching is a hard job, but man
In sixth grade I used the word "stolid" in a paper and my teacher marked it as a spelling error, then accused me of cheating when I tried to argue, so I like to put it into each of my books as a cute little fuck you to that lady.
December 4, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Reposted by gelbach
Agree 💯 With Ben Stiller......
December 4, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Investigation proceeding at snails pace
It was not quite the Louvre heist, but for a village in northeastern France, the recent theft of more than $100,000 worth of escargot from a local farm, just as prime holiday snail-eating season begins, was pretty close.
Snail Theft Hits France Before Holiday Rush
Shop owners say the thieves who took 990 pounds of snails must have been escargot cognoscenti.
nyti.ms
December 4, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Reposted by gelbach
Read @josephhillyard.bsky.social on Eleanor Roosevelt today, and then become a patron or chip it to our fundraiser if you like what you read! gofund.me/2464432e6
December 4, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Frechet analysis of the Potential Outcomes Model
It was the best of all possible worlds, it was the worst of all possible worlds
December 4, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by gelbach
The entire U.S. population is in the low hundreds of millions (340m), meaning that according to NoemMath, nearly all of us were on track for a cocaine-related death. I am so grateful to have been saved.
Noem: You have saved hundreds of millions of lives with the Cocaine you’ve blown up in the Caribbean
December 4, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Reposted by gelbach
With temperatures dropping and snow in the forecast, New Yorkers struggling to afford the rising cost of heat can now apply for assistance from the HEAP program.

Learn more about eligibility and apply here: a069-access.nyc.gov/accesshra/
React App
The Human Resources Administration (HRA) ACCESS HRA website and free mobile app allow you to get information, apply for benefit programs, and view case information online.
a069-access.nyc.gov
December 3, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Reposted by gelbach
New Orleans launches portal to report human rights abuses by Trump paramilitary units

www.nola.com/gambit/news/...
New Orleans launches portal to report human rights abuses by Trump paramilitary units
The New Orleans City Council Dec. 3 launched an online portal for residents to report civil and human rights abuses by ICE and CBP paramilitary units occupying the city during
www.nola.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Reposted by gelbach
NEWS: The Institute of Museum & Library Services has restored ALL previously canceled federal grants to libraries, following a ruling by a federal judge in Rhode Island last month.

This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory!

Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...
December 3, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Reposted by gelbach
Reminder: I'm hosting a fun democracy and public law works-in-progress conference at Michigan State in April and I'd love to host you! Please submit at the form below by December 31 if you're interested.
I'm very happy to share that I will be hosting the *Second* Annual Democracy and Public Law Works-in-Progress Conference at the Michigan State University College of Law on April 3–4, 2026! Law scholars (current and aspiring), I'd love to host you!

Application:
msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
December 1, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by gelbach
Must read by @marknevitt.bsky.social on why killing survivors at sea is a moral & strategic disaster for all of us:

"If America chooses a path where killing defenseless survivors becomes acceptable, American servicemembers will pay the price for that choice."

www.justsecurity.org/125998/boat-...
Killing Shipwrecked Survivors is Not Just Illegal—It Endangers U.S. Servicemembers
If the United States chooses a path where killing defenseless survivors becomes acceptable, American servicemembers will pay the price for that choice.
www.justsecurity.org
December 2, 2025 at 5:45 AM
I just gave. If you're fed up with the mainstream content generators, take a look at what's happening at Liberal Currents and consider supporting their Startup Fund.

gofund.me/7a879ece5
Donate to The Liberal Currents Startup Fund, organized by Adam Gurri
To fight fascism we need opposition media with a backbone. Liberal Currents is that. Help… Adam Gurri needs your support for The Liberal Currents Startup Fund
gofund.me
December 3, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Reposted by gelbach
What does it say about this country that that the kind of open, rank bigotry Trump administration officials regularly express towards black immigrants apparently has no social cost because of the number of Americans who quietly agree or don't care.
December 3, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Reposted by gelbach
For my part, I would say that questioning the framing of some Times stories—for example, the highlighting of Trump’s putative emotions or the foregrounding of what he says (even when, as is often the case, what he says is false)—is not an indication that I want my “views validated.”
December 2, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Reposted by gelbach
Some readers want us to say it's raining outside; others want us to say it's not raining outside. How do you navigate all of that? I mean how do you navigate all of that without putting in any effort like, for example, looking out the window and seeing if it is actually raining or not?
December 2, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Reposted by gelbach
Northwestern administrators looking at these results and thinking … what exactly.
December 3, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Reposted by gelbach
The real question is not "Why is Bluesky so left-coded," the real question is "Why can't the right exist in a social media environment without algorithmic assistance, where people can ignore them"
December 2, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by gelbach
A 6-year-old boy is missing after ICE arrested him and his dad in NYC last week and shipped them off to separate facilities. www.thecity.nyc/2025/12/02/i... @thecity.nyc @gwynnefitz.bsky.social
ICE Arrested and Separated Chinese Father From 6-Year-Old Son, Advocates Say
The father and son were detained at an ICE check-in on Nov. 26, advocates say. The son’s location is currently unknown, while the father is being held at an upstate ICE facility.
www.thecity.nyc
December 2, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Reposted by gelbach
After our wonderful friend Greg died there was a lot of attention (rightfully) paid to the “dadball” games at the GLEC that he loved and how that community came together for his family. That was great attention but it’s so important that the core mission of this place is saved.
Today being Giving Tuesday, I hope people on here--especially so many Philly people--will consider giving to GLEC--the Germantown Life Enrichment Center.

GLEC is one part community center, with meeting & sports areas, and one part housing provider.

1/2

www.zeffy.com/en-US/donati...
December 3, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Reposted by gelbach
We are launching a Justice Initiatives Division within Free Law Project focused on turning open law into real-world impact.

Our goal is to fill the voids in the legal system that lead to gaps in fair justice.

This is a big one. 🧵 free.law/2025/12/01/j...
Announcing Free Law Project's Justice Initiatives Division
Free Law Project is launching a new division—Justice Initiatives—to bring together our advocacy, partnerships, and technology development under one mission: transforming how people experience the lega...
free.law
December 2, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Reposted by gelbach
Best website on the internet. And it’s not close.
We are launching a Justice Initiatives Division within Free Law Project focused on turning open law into real-world impact.

Our goal is to fill the voids in the legal system that lead to gaps in fair justice.

This is a big one. 🧵 free.law/2025/12/01/j...
Announcing Free Law Project's Justice Initiatives Division
Free Law Project is launching a new division—Justice Initiatives—to bring together our advocacy, partnerships, and technology development under one mission: transforming how people experience the lega...
free.law
December 2, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Reposted by gelbach
Hello. I am trying to raise $2K for the Hollywood Food Coalition. We provide hot nutritious meals to 300~ Angelenos every night of the week. Our lines are longer now due to Trump’s cuts and the economy tanking. Please give if you can: ❤️ givebutter.com/hofocogt2025...
HoFoCo Giving Tuesday 2025
By HOLLYWOOD FOOD COALITION
givebutter.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Maybe stop and taste the ice cream
Toad walked faster. Many drops of melting ice cream flew through the air. They fell down on Toad’s head. “I must hurry back to Frog!” he cried.
December 2, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Reposted by gelbach
Last week, ICE arrested and separated a father and son after a routine check-in. Six-year-old Yuanxin had just enrolled in the first grade at an elementary school in Astoria. Now he's in custody, alone. ICE won't say where. This cruelty serves no one. It must end.
December 2, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Today in Rule 801(d)(2)(C) & (D).

(I have to think (E) would be pushing it, but I guess stay tuned.)
Damn, messing up on day one.

Pentagon spox confirmed that all strikes in Caribbean are "directed by the President". Congrats.
December 2, 2025 at 10:57 PM