mjfgates
@mjfgates.bsky.social
Retired. Widower. Formerly "that FC with the voice." One of the most ancient shitposters on the internet.
Reposted by mjfgates
It’s really fun to be a historian. We are fun at parties. We will absolutely not ruin your traditions by explaining the history of them.
Them: You know the Olympic torch relay just began.
Me: Yeah, the flame is ancient but the relay itself was invented by Hitler to connect Ancient Greece to Germany for the Berlin Olympics
Them: Always a ray of sunshine
Me:
www.forbes.com/sites/drsara...
Me: Yeah, the flame is ancient but the relay itself was invented by Hitler to connect Ancient Greece to Germany for the Berlin Olympics
Them: Always a ray of sunshine
Me:
www.forbes.com/sites/drsara...
A Short History Of Torches And Intimidation
The carrying of torches to suggest power and project intimidation has a long and sordid history.
www.forbes.com
December 1, 2025 at 12:31 PM
It’s really fun to be a historian. We are fun at parties. We will absolutely not ruin your traditions by explaining the history of them.
Reposted by mjfgates
KOSA is never about protecting kids. It’s anti-queer and about making sure kids don’t have access to information they need to survive - from health basics to knowing they are not alone and not broken. And it will destroy the internet as we know it.
🚨‼️As of yesterday KOSA is at 64 cosponsors with @vanhollen.senate.gov + @kim.senate.gov - who claim to support LGTBQ+ rights but are clearly okay with supporting legislation that’ll censor us off the internet- newly signed on.
You know what to do: www.stopkosa.com
You know what to do: www.stopkosa.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:25 PM
KOSA is never about protecting kids. It’s anti-queer and about making sure kids don’t have access to information they need to survive - from health basics to knowing they are not alone and not broken. And it will destroy the internet as we know it.
Reposted by mjfgates
It would be nice if @cnn.com acknowledged this story was broken last week by The Handbasket: www.thehandbasket.co/p/fema-emplo...
December 1, 2025 at 3:40 PM
It would be nice if @cnn.com acknowledged this story was broken last week by The Handbasket: www.thehandbasket.co/p/fema-emplo...
Reposted by mjfgates
“In targeted cities around the country, we are discovering that whistles can turn back armed men. We are learning there is a force even greater than men with guns, and that is neighbors remembering we belong to one another.” religionnews.com/2025/11/28/t...
The chaos of Charlotte and the call to radical neighborliness
(RNS) — There is a force even greater than masked men with guns, and that is neighbors remembering we belong to one another.
religionnews.com
November 30, 2025 at 4:15 PM
“In targeted cities around the country, we are discovering that whistles can turn back armed men. We are learning there is a force even greater than men with guns, and that is neighbors remembering we belong to one another.” religionnews.com/2025/11/28/t...
Reposted by mjfgates
If "meiofauna" includes everybody under 1mm, you KNOW beetles are going to be at the party
Photo collage is from our recent Martínez et al. meiofauna perspective in Communications Biology! www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Fundamental questions in meiofauna research highlight how small but ubiquitous animals can improve our understanding of Nature - Communications Biology
This paper identifies the top-50 priority questions for meiofaunal research, highlighting their critical roles in biogeochemical cycles and biodiversity. It calls for a balanced research agenda, inter...
www.nature.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:57 PM
If "meiofauna" includes everybody under 1mm, you KNOW beetles are going to be at the party
Reposted by mjfgates
Foundling Fathers, by Meg Elison
Hamilton meets The Boys from Brazil
1776 meets Clone High
All the Presidents' Heads meets Jurassic Park
6.23.2026
It's the satire America deserves for her 250th. tachyonpublications.com/product/foun...
Hamilton meets The Boys from Brazil
1776 meets Clone High
All the Presidents' Heads meets Jurassic Park
6.23.2026
It's the satire America deserves for her 250th. tachyonpublications.com/product/foun...
December 1, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Foundling Fathers, by Meg Elison
Hamilton meets The Boys from Brazil
1776 meets Clone High
All the Presidents' Heads meets Jurassic Park
6.23.2026
It's the satire America deserves for her 250th. tachyonpublications.com/product/foun...
Hamilton meets The Boys from Brazil
1776 meets Clone High
All the Presidents' Heads meets Jurassic Park
6.23.2026
It's the satire America deserves for her 250th. tachyonpublications.com/product/foun...
Reposted by mjfgates
@katelynburns.com: "The student's mom... is a former Springfield, MO city council member who faced a recall campaign in 2017 before resigning in late 2018. She's a conservative attorney who sued several cities in 2020 seeking to overturn local mask mandates and went on to defend several J6ers."
That Viral Essay Scandal is (SURPRISE!) Actually About Trans People
A shoddy Oklahoma University essay went viral. Cis people think this is about conservatives whining for better grades. Trans people see a planned attack on a trans academic.
(Note for free subscriber...
www.burnsnotice.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:46 PM
@katelynburns.com: "The student's mom... is a former Springfield, MO city council member who faced a recall campaign in 2017 before resigning in late 2018. She's a conservative attorney who sued several cities in 2020 seeking to overturn local mask mandates and went on to defend several J6ers."
Reposted by mjfgates
Also - one reason I ultimately decided not to go into academics after finishing my PhD was that my tolerance for chickenshit had been thoroughly exhausted.
The lack of support that this institution is giving its grad student instructor is a good example of this.
The lack of support that this institution is giving its grad student instructor is a good example of this.
OU has put the professor here on administrative leave:
November 30, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Also - one reason I ultimately decided not to go into academics after finishing my PhD was that my tolerance for chickenshit had been thoroughly exhausted.
The lack of support that this institution is giving its grad student instructor is a good example of this.
The lack of support that this institution is giving its grad student instructor is a good example of this.
Reposted by mjfgates
The new Ze Frank video reminded me about an adaptation found in some entomopathogenic nematodes - using both their own muscle power and static electricity, they can leap into the air and home in on their host, like an anti-insect surface-to-air missile
#Invertebrate 🧪
news.emory.edu/features/202...
#Invertebrate 🧪
news.emory.edu/features/202...
Fatal attraction: Electric charge connects jumping worm to aerial prey
A tiny worm that leaps high into the air — up to 25 times its body length — to attach to flying insects uses static electricity to perform this astounding feat, Emory physicists have found.
news.emory.edu
December 1, 2025 at 3:01 AM
The new Ze Frank video reminded me about an adaptation found in some entomopathogenic nematodes - using both their own muscle power and static electricity, they can leap into the air and home in on their host, like an anti-insect surface-to-air missile
#Invertebrate 🧪
news.emory.edu/features/202...
#Invertebrate 🧪
news.emory.edu/features/202...
Reposted by mjfgates
AI is good for … democracy?
@alexhanna.bsky.social and I think not. But of course the hypemongers would try this angle too giving us great fodder for the next Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 livestream:
Monday, December 1, noon Pacific
twitch.tv/dair_institute
@alexhanna.bsky.social and I think not. But of course the hypemongers would try this angle too giving us great fodder for the next Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 livestream:
Monday, December 1, noon Pacific
twitch.tv/dair_institute
Twitch
Twitch is the world
twitch.tv
November 28, 2025 at 4:46 PM
AI is good for … democracy?
@alexhanna.bsky.social and I think not. But of course the hypemongers would try this angle too giving us great fodder for the next Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 livestream:
Monday, December 1, noon Pacific
twitch.tv/dair_institute
@alexhanna.bsky.social and I think not. But of course the hypemongers would try this angle too giving us great fodder for the next Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 livestream:
Monday, December 1, noon Pacific
twitch.tv/dair_institute
Reposted by mjfgates
Her mom is (was?) a J6 lawyer! The student appears to have run to Turning Point instead of meeting with an instructor! There are so many things that feel significant but also aren't being noted by many not-trans people.
December 1, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Her mom is (was?) a J6 lawyer! The student appears to have run to Turning Point instead of meeting with an instructor! There are so many things that feel significant but also aren't being noted by many not-trans people.
Reposted by mjfgates
For two years, this guy in England has been doing the studies and mockups and is now building a 1/25 scale model of the original series USS Enterprise from Star Trek.
www.youtube.com/@mrtrek2117/...
By canon, the dimensions of Enterprise are:288.6 m Length, 127.1 Beam, 71.6 m Draft
www.youtube.com/@mrtrek2117/...
By canon, the dimensions of Enterprise are:288.6 m Length, 127.1 Beam, 71.6 m Draft
Mr Trek
This channel is dedicated soley to the physical building of the Starship USS Enterprise as we saw it in the 1960's TV show that many of us grew up with and fell in love with. No bloody A, B, C or D, a...
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 3:14 AM
For two years, this guy in England has been doing the studies and mockups and is now building a 1/25 scale model of the original series USS Enterprise from Star Trek.
www.youtube.com/@mrtrek2117/...
By canon, the dimensions of Enterprise are:288.6 m Length, 127.1 Beam, 71.6 m Draft
www.youtube.com/@mrtrek2117/...
By canon, the dimensions of Enterprise are:288.6 m Length, 127.1 Beam, 71.6 m Draft
Reposted by mjfgates
Leave me alone, AI
Leave me alone, AI
If I wanted your tedious advice on how to do the simplest thing online, I would have asked for it
www.irishtimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Leave me alone, AI
Reposted by mjfgates
Wisdom’s mate joins
her!
🎼 #Reunited
USFWS staff spotted band EX25 on 11/25. No, he has not been named; we await that news.
So far we have a few photos and we'll share more as we receive them.
Here's to a successful egg laying and hatching season for these two!
Photos by Chris Forster.
#Birds
her!
🎼 #Reunited
USFWS staff spotted band EX25 on 11/25. No, he has not been named; we await that news.
So far we have a few photos and we'll share more as we receive them.
Here's to a successful egg laying and hatching season for these two!
Photos by Chris Forster.
#Birds
November 30, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by mjfgates
Exactly 80 years ago this precise moment (8:40am Hamburg time, Nov. 30, 1945), German submarine commander Heinz-Wilhelm Eck and two of his former subordinates on the U-852 were shot by Allies in Hamburg for killing the survivors of a ship they had sunk. Pete Hagueseth needs to lawyer up immediately.
The Peleus War Crimes Trial
After sinking the Greek steamer Peleus in 1944, the captain ordered his crew to attack the survivors, three sailors survived and faced their attackers in a war crime trial.
www.usni.org
November 30, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Exactly 80 years ago this precise moment (8:40am Hamburg time, Nov. 30, 1945), German submarine commander Heinz-Wilhelm Eck and two of his former subordinates on the U-852 were shot by Allies in Hamburg for killing the survivors of a ship they had sunk. Pete Hagueseth needs to lawyer up immediately.
Reposted by mjfgates
I have refined
The uranium
That was in
The centrifuge
And which
You were probably
Saving
For power generation
Forgive me
It was so powerful
I am
Become death
The uranium
That was in
The centrifuge
And which
You were probably
Saving
For power generation
Forgive me
It was so powerful
I am
Become death
this is quite the detail
November 30, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I have refined
The uranium
That was in
The centrifuge
And which
You were probably
Saving
For power generation
Forgive me
It was so powerful
I am
Become death
The uranium
That was in
The centrifuge
And which
You were probably
Saving
For power generation
Forgive me
It was so powerful
I am
Become death
Reposted by mjfgates
So, Hegseth illegally ordered everyone killed in the first alleged drug boat strike on Sept. 2, prompting a second hit to finish off survivors in the water. — This is the real reason why Trump & Hegseth absolutely freaked out about the video against illegal orders.
November 28, 2025 at 7:21 PM
So, Hegseth illegally ordered everyone killed in the first alleged drug boat strike on Sept. 2, prompting a second hit to finish off survivors in the water. — This is the real reason why Trump & Hegseth absolutely freaked out about the video against illegal orders.
Reposted by mjfgates
I’ve spent a lot of time in the past 18 months really working to, if you will, kill the neoliberal in my head. as someone with my politics, I’ve been surprised by how much there’s still been to excise.
anyway, maybe productivity and efficiency are scams, and redundancy protects human happiness.
anyway, maybe productivity and efficiency are scams, and redundancy protects human happiness.
every neoliberal policy analyst wants to "trim the fat" of society until the lean times come. community level resilience, redundancies, etc are good actually
When power went out across all of Puerto Rico on 16 April, a lot of the lights in the town of Adjuntas stayed on. A combination of experimental microgrids, solar panels, and storage kept power on for many businesses and residents.
spectrum.ieee.org/puerto-rico-...
spectrum.ieee.org/puerto-rico-...
November 30, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I’ve spent a lot of time in the past 18 months really working to, if you will, kill the neoliberal in my head. as someone with my politics, I’ve been surprised by how much there’s still been to excise.
anyway, maybe productivity and efficiency are scams, and redundancy protects human happiness.
anyway, maybe productivity and efficiency are scams, and redundancy protects human happiness.
Reposted by mjfgates
conservatives basically want to implement the caricature of affirmative action for conservative students. acceptance without meeting qualifications, good grades and degrees without having to do the work.
OU has put the professor here on administrative leave:
December 1, 2025 at 1:29 AM
conservatives basically want to implement the caricature of affirmative action for conservative students. acceptance without meeting qualifications, good grades and degrees without having to do the work.
Reposted by mjfgates
Reminder that early Fortnite stole dance choreography from people of color and only responded when they were publicly called out or sued. That team has been telling the world who they are pretty consistently for a long time. We need to listen.
SO... I'm pretty much done with Fortnite. There were statements made by Tim Sweeney saying that AI usage doesn't need to be disclosed, and then AI usage was found all over this current season- from art to sprays to in-game songs. Between that, and the upcoming shitty wizard collab... Yeah, I'm done.
December 1, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Reminder that early Fortnite stole dance choreography from people of color and only responded when they were publicly called out or sued. That team has been telling the world who they are pretty consistently for a long time. We need to listen.
Reposted by mjfgates
Look, there is no way to avoid TPUSA. You can give trolls a C-, B, B+. It won't matter. They can even get an A overall but if you give the feedback the very constructive OU instructor did, you're on the list. The assignment could be 2% of the grade (it might be in that class!). There is no defense.
December 1, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Look, there is no way to avoid TPUSA. You can give trolls a C-, B, B+. It won't matter. They can even get an A overall but if you give the feedback the very constructive OU instructor did, you're on the list. The assignment could be 2% of the grade (it might be in that class!). There is no defense.
Reposted by mjfgates
Speaking as someone who was cast as "alarmist" for accurately predicting the GOP mainstreaming of outright fascism, that sort of attitude is the flip side of those earlier alarmism accusations.
These folks are so petrified of change and the unknown that they wishcast a permanent status quo.
These folks are so petrified of change and the unknown that they wishcast a permanent status quo.
The main thing that's annoying and offensive about this is it's usually not framed as simply a factual observation about all the obvious hurdles, as if anybody needs reminding. It's how it's said in a mood of cynical, condescending hostility to even advocating for accountability. Ditto impeachment.
While this usually isn't the intent, "no one will ever be held accountable for this" doomerism is an excuse not to try.
There'll be at least some accountability if enough Americans work for it. And this time really is different. Doesn't guarantee the aftermath will be, but it increases the chances.
There'll be at least some accountability if enough Americans work for it. And this time really is different. Doesn't guarantee the aftermath will be, but it increases the chances.
November 30, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Speaking as someone who was cast as "alarmist" for accurately predicting the GOP mainstreaming of outright fascism, that sort of attitude is the flip side of those earlier alarmism accusations.
These folks are so petrified of change and the unknown that they wishcast a permanent status quo.
These folks are so petrified of change and the unknown that they wishcast a permanent status quo.
Reposted by mjfgates
ℑ𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔉𝔞𝔯 𝔉𝔲𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔢, 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔦𝔰 𝔒𝔫𝔩𝔶 𝔐𝔬𝔦
November 30, 2025 at 7:29 PM
ℑ𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔉𝔞𝔯 𝔉𝔲𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔢, 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔦𝔰 𝔒𝔫𝔩𝔶 𝔐𝔬𝔦
Reposted by mjfgates
Mamdani talked about policy as if he knew the audience understood WHY the policy was necessary, when he explained what it was.
He didn’t craft policy to messaging or rely on some ultimately meaningless slogan as the reason people should hear him out.
He didn’t craft policy to messaging or rely on some ultimately meaningless slogan as the reason people should hear him out.
November 30, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Mamdani talked about policy as if he knew the audience understood WHY the policy was necessary, when he explained what it was.
He didn’t craft policy to messaging or rely on some ultimately meaningless slogan as the reason people should hear him out.
He didn’t craft policy to messaging or rely on some ultimately meaningless slogan as the reason people should hear him out.
Reposted by mjfgates
Atleast nobody will have to question if my works are ai or not so enjoy these practical effect wings I made after 7 years of building different animatronic wings!
November 26, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Atleast nobody will have to question if my works are ai or not so enjoy these practical effect wings I made after 7 years of building different animatronic wings!