Mike Westphal
@mfwestphal.bsky.social
Biologist, writer, father of three, anti-fascist. he/him
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael_Westphal/publications
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael_Westphal/publications
“We are asking service members to stake their careers and their liberty.” Agreed, a difficult choice. But we expect them to charge machine gun nests. Seems like we can ask them to stake their careers & liberty to protect our democracy, if we expect them to sacrifice their lives for that democracy.
Law prof Josh Braver notes the problem of 'manifestly unlawful' when the civilian legal authorities *say* it's lawful -- and thinks least bad outcome is the military maintains civilian supremacy even if acting illegally. Many (most?) civ-mil relatios scholars agree.
www.wsj.com/opinion/diso...
www.wsj.com/opinion/diso...
December 1, 2025 at 12:16 AM
“We are asking service members to stake their careers and their liberty.” Agreed, a difficult choice. But we expect them to charge machine gun nests. Seems like we can ask them to stake their careers & liberty to protect our democracy, if we expect them to sacrifice their lives for that democracy.
That’s a great question. I like to tell people that the most fearless human being who ever lived liked to wear velvet jackets and wave flowers around. He certainly would not hold back his opinion.
On this date in 1900, Oscar Wilde ("The difference between literature and journalism is that journalism is unreadable, and literature is not read") died at age 46. What would he make of today's stenographers posing as journalists?
December 1, 2025 at 12:03 AM
That’s a great question. I like to tell people that the most fearless human being who ever lived liked to wear velvet jackets and wave flowers around. He certainly would not hold back his opinion.
I have perceived what I feel like has been a pretty consistent convention on Bluesky, and I think on Twitter before that, to put both book titles and movie titles in all caps. Thoughts on that?
And yes, I suppose that, particularly here, one could drop the quotation marks, as, lacking italics, I just set movie titles as The Cocoanuts, Dark Victory, etc., but as long as one has quotation marks one might as well use them as one would use them elsewhere. If you follow me.
December 1, 2025 at 12:00 AM
I have perceived what I feel like has been a pretty consistent convention on Bluesky, and I think on Twitter before that, to put both book titles and movie titles in all caps. Thoughts on that?
Reposted by Mike Westphal
I do occasionally want to say to my fellow Americans who insist that periods ever go outside quotation marks "Cool, show me that in a modern U.S. book or periodical," but I never say that.
This has nothing to do with the UK propensity to write something along the lines of:
I really love the song 'Yesterday'.
vs. the correct American
I really love the song "Yesterday."
I really love the song 'Yesterday'.
vs. the correct American
I really love the song "Yesterday."
November 30, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I do occasionally want to say to my fellow Americans who insist that periods ever go outside quotation marks "Cool, show me that in a modern U.S. book or periodical," but I never say that.
Reposted by Mike Westphal
Goodbye to the master.
❤️
❤️
November 29, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Goodbye to the master.
❤️
❤️
Coming late in life to NORTHANGER ABBEY & totally enjoying it & thinking about Twain’s remark that Austen was unreadable. Like, wtf. (He dissed Poe in the same letter in which he dissed Austen.)
November 29, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Coming late in life to NORTHANGER ABBEY & totally enjoying it & thinking about Twain’s remark that Austen was unreadable. Like, wtf. (He dissed Poe in the same letter in which he dissed Austen.)
Reposted by Mike Westphal
#OnThisDay, 28 Nov 1967, Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovers the existence of pulsars - a new type of star.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #WomenInSTEM 🗃️
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#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #WomenInSTEM 🗃️
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November 28, 2025 at 2:30 PM
#OnThisDay, 28 Nov 1967, Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovers the existence of pulsars - a new type of star.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #WomenInSTEM 🗃️
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#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #WomenInSTEM 🗃️
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Reposted by Mike Westphal
That's fascinating. It's sort of the opposite of my friend with synesthesia where sound can become shapes, color can become tastes, etc.
November 29, 2025 at 2:04 PM
That's fascinating. It's sort of the opposite of my friend with synesthesia where sound can become shapes, color can become tastes, etc.
Reposted by Mike Westphal
Have you heard del Toro talk about the film's color coding?
youtube.com/shorts/E_Ys8...
youtube.com/shorts/E_Ys8...
🎨 Guillermo del Toro Breaks Down Frankenstein’s Color Grading Magic #frankenstein #guillermodeltoro
YouTube video by Collider Interviews
youtube.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:05 AM
Have you heard del Toro talk about the film's color coding?
youtube.com/shorts/E_Ys8...
youtube.com/shorts/E_Ys8...
It’s not just about profits. The Trevor Goodchild wannabes know that their very existence depends on human labor. They think AI will liberate them from that dependency. They are literally envisioning, and promoting, a future where *everybody* dies, except them.
The markets are staying afloat right now on the hope that AI will destroy American workers. What a bleak thing.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/b...
November 29, 2025 at 3:49 PM
It’s not just about profits. The Trevor Goodchild wannabes know that their very existence depends on human labor. They think AI will liberate them from that dependency. They are literally envisioning, and promoting, a future where *everybody* dies, except them.
Reposted by Mike Westphal
On this date in 1864, several hundred volunteers of the Third Colorado Cavalry at Sand Creek in what is now Colorado killed 150-230 Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians at a camp the Army had told the Natives to gather at if they wanted to be safe from attack. www.cpr.org/2025/11/28/w...
New Sand Creek Massacre book revives letters and the moral courage of Capt. Silas Soule, the officer who refused to fire
“Witness at Sand Creek” traces Capt. Silas Soule’s life through his letters that reveal why he refused to fire on Cheyenne and Arapaho families during the Sand Creek Massacre. The book highlights his ...
www.cpr.org
November 29, 2025 at 2:15 PM
On this date in 1864, several hundred volunteers of the Third Colorado Cavalry at Sand Creek in what is now Colorado killed 150-230 Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians at a camp the Army had told the Natives to gather at if they wanted to be safe from attack. www.cpr.org/2025/11/28/w...
Reposted by Mike Westphal
"In recent history, the Doctor Who actor has repeatedly made headlines thanks to his allyship towards trans and gender non-conforming people – most notably with a subtle gesture during a TV interview that wound up helping to raise £18,000 for the LGBTQ+ youth charity AKT."
'F*** Off And Let People Be': David Tennant Doubles Down On Support For Trans People
"People are trying to create division... and it's so f***ing unnecessary."
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk
November 29, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Reposted by Mike Westphal
If you're a book-giver for the holidays (and I hope, for many reasons, that you are), my most recent title, ICEBOUND: SHIPWRECKED AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, is a wild true story of a Dutch expedition stranded north of Siberia in the time of Shakespeare. I went on 3 Arctic expeditions researching it.
November 28, 2025 at 8:33 PM
If you're a book-giver for the holidays (and I hope, for many reasons, that you are), my most recent title, ICEBOUND: SHIPWRECKED AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, is a wild true story of a Dutch expedition stranded north of Siberia in the time of Shakespeare. I went on 3 Arctic expeditions researching it.
Reposted by Mike Westphal
so none of what he’s saying is real btw
November 28, 2025 at 8:29 PM
so none of what he’s saying is real btw
I wish someone would tell the American public that they have the collective power to take away the billionaires’ money and distribute it among themselves.
November 28, 2025 at 7:38 PM
I wish someone would tell the American public that they have the collective power to take away the billionaires’ money and distribute it among themselves.
Reposted by Mike Westphal
Let’s see if I’ve got this straight:
1. The billionaires burn billions of dollars to create a bubble.
2. The bubble bursts & tanks the economy & the regular folks have to sell their stuff.
3. The billionaires get their money back from the government.
4. They buy our stuff.
Did I miss anything?
1. The billionaires burn billions of dollars to create a bubble.
2. The bubble bursts & tanks the economy & the regular folks have to sell their stuff.
3. The billionaires get their money back from the government.
4. They buy our stuff.
Did I miss anything?
November 28, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Let’s see if I’ve got this straight:
1. The billionaires burn billions of dollars to create a bubble.
2. The bubble bursts & tanks the economy & the regular folks have to sell their stuff.
3. The billionaires get their money back from the government.
4. They buy our stuff.
Did I miss anything?
1. The billionaires burn billions of dollars to create a bubble.
2. The bubble bursts & tanks the economy & the regular folks have to sell their stuff.
3. The billionaires get their money back from the government.
4. They buy our stuff.
Did I miss anything?
Reposted by Mike Westphal
HAPPY THERIZGIVNG DAY!!!
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
HAPPY THERIZGIVNG DAY!!!
Reposted by Mike Westphal
I can't believe we've completed 7 years of this glorious pod. It's been amazing to share our opinions with all of you!! @charliejane.bsky.social and I are slowly dreaming up our next project, which we will share with you sometime in 2026!!! For now, farewell and thanks for all the fish.
It's our last episode! We're so grateful to everyone who's listened to us for the past 7 years.
We're using this occasion to talk about the state of science fiction and fantasy in the 21st century — and what has shaped the stories we've loved.
www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/20...
We're using this occasion to talk about the state of science fiction and fantasy in the 21st century — and what has shaped the stories we've loved.
www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/20...
November 27, 2025 at 7:25 PM
I can't believe we've completed 7 years of this glorious pod. It's been amazing to share our opinions with all of you!! @charliejane.bsky.social and I are slowly dreaming up our next project, which we will share with you sometime in 2026!!! For now, farewell and thanks for all the fish.
Reposted by Mike Westphal
Nice!
Today's menu: Salmon, potatoes au gratin, macaroni & cheese, cranberry sauce, roasted Brussels sprouts, scalloped oysters, spoon bread. A nice Vacherin to conclude.
November 27, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Nice!
It’s just the best. And, the 1953 centennial edition is an amazing example of early Edward Gorey when he was just coming into his own at Doubleday, before he went full whimsical. Good luck finding a copy with a decent dust jacket.
One of my favorite books! With Alt Text added. Broken into in two parts.
November 27, 2025 at 2:03 PM
It’s just the best. And, the 1953 centennial edition is an amazing example of early Edward Gorey when he was just coming into his own at Doubleday, before he went full whimsical. Good luck finding a copy with a decent dust jacket.
Reposted by Mike Westphal
The war will end when Russia stops fighting. Therefore, pressure has to be put on Russia, so that they stop believing that they will win. Why is that so hard to understand?
November 27, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The war will end when Russia stops fighting. Therefore, pressure has to be put on Russia, so that they stop believing that they will win. Why is that so hard to understand?
Darwin’s dry humor, Exhibit B:
November 27, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Darwin’s dry humor, Exhibit B:
And, Darwin’s humor was dry as hell. Exhibit A:
November 27, 2025 at 4:48 AM
And, Darwin’s humor was dry as hell. Exhibit A: