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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 15h

That should be a lifetime ban on peer reviewing, anywhere, for anyone. The least you can do is read the damn paper.

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 2d

Unfortunately, some of them evolve into professors.

Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 2d

The first crop of AI bots have no understanding. Neither does the current crop. At best, they can ladle out a chopped-up, cat-vomit flavored echo of what was once some human’s idea.

The tech succeeds only in that humans often want to be fooled. Large-scale inauthenticity sells.

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 2d

Admins rarely have the guts to reverse themselves. I hope his settlement is fat.

Julie Greene @greeneland.bsky.social · 2d

I just learned, Thomas Alter, tenured professor, has been terminated effective immediately. Shame on Texas State! We mst build support for Tom. spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-tex...

Texas State upholds the firing of associate history professor Thomas Alter

Alter’s termination occurred on Sept. 10, stemming from his remarks at the Revolutionary Socialism Conference on Sept. 7.

spectrumlocalnews.com

Reposted by Mike Duncan

Deborah McDowell @dem8z.bsky.social · 2d

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!!

The University of Texas-Austin is beginning a process to eliminate the Black Studies, Latino Studies, and Gender Studies departments in the College of Liberal Arts. This is a grave threat to the educational liberty of students, faculty, staff, and the people of Texas. 1/

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 2d

Is that a spear? Do they tractor joust?

Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 3d

Now, I don’t watch much TV myself, but Mrs. Columbo, she knows all about it. Says there’s a show, a Star Trek show, with a captain, that looks sort of like her. I don’t see it but she does.

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 3d

So two universities have refused Trump’s “compact.” Only two, out of nine.

It’s not a hard call. But the boards and presidents squirming were not selected for moments such as these. Another illustration of the difference between leadership and management.

Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 4d

I refuse to celebrate stupidity. Ignore it? Sometimes. Work around it? Often. But it’s not getting a party.

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 4d

He’s gonna need to do better than that, and quickly.

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 4d

I would like to do a Halloween as Darth Vader but there’s the problem that I’m not David Prowse. Dark Helmet is technically doable, but I refuse to go as anyone so professionally incompetent.

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 5d

The last DLC for The Rise of the Golden Idol came out last month and I didn’t notice. Played it immediately. What a finish! The only shame is that there is no more.

Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 5d

Dartmouth, though in a more passive-aggressive manner:

president.dartmouth.edu/news/2025/10...

Response to the ‘Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education’ | Office of the President

president.dartmouth.edu

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 5d

MIT has also rejected the compact.

This is the way.

www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...

MIT Rejects Proposed Federal Compact

MIT is the first institution to reject a proposal by the Trump administration that would trade preferential treatment on federal funding for far-reaching changes.

www.insidehighered.com

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Reposted by Mike Duncan

A Monster Mullins in Texas @amullinstx.bsky.social · 8d

There isn’t a national antifa organization, but if you wanted to create one, sending your Sardaukar to subdue all the major cities would be a great way to kick it off.

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 8d

My alma mater. A huge school then (late 90s) and massive now. I would expect Tucson to resist.

Tim Steller @timsteller.bsky.social · 8d

The University of Arizona's faculty senate has voted to ask the UA president to reject the Trump administration's proposed compact. It's among an accumulation of voices who say not to be tempted by the good things in the compact due to its more fundamental threats.
tucson.com/news/local/e...

U of A Faculty Senate opposes Trump compact; provost says no decision yet

The University of Arizona Faculty Senate approved a resolution calling on the UA to reject the White House’s compact requiring ideological, political and financial commitments in return for federal fu...

tucson.com

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 8d

I don’t recall ‘plenary’ ever coming up in those endless vocab lists I had to memorize in grade school. Oh well. I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything important.

Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 9d

College English 87.2, for the lack of a better verb, slaps. That is all.

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Reposted by Mike Duncan

Jeff Sharlet @jeffsharlet.bsky.social · 12d

It appears that my employer, Dartmouth, one of the Trump 9, has said no to the compact. All the better given that our president is cited within it. But she’s saying no. Count the small victories when they come.

Office of the President
Dear Dartmouth community,

As many of you know, Dartmouth was one of nine universities asked by the White House to give feedback by Oct. 20 on a draft of its “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.”

I am deeply committed to Dartmouth’s academic mission and values and will always defend our fierce independence.

You have often heard me say that higher education is not perfect and that we can do better. At the same time, we will never compromise our academic freedom and our ability to govern ourselves.

Best,
Sian Leah Beilock
President

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 12d

Running a garage sale. Watching people do slow drive-bys and then peeling off. Disconcerting. I have high-quality junk here.

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Reposted by Mike Duncan

Dan Greene @dmgreene.bsky.social · 12d

Dwayne has his job back because we organized for it. We fight or we die. Join AAUP today www.aaup.org/join

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 13d

Hades 2 is impressive. I didn’t get it in Early Access. I’m glad I waited. Frankly, it’s really hard to exceed perfection.

Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 14d

I’d never read this before. But it’s accurate as all hell.

Old White Nepo Hat @kenwhite.bsky.social · 14d

Every few months now I re-read this "Who Goes Nazi?" piece from 1941 and am blown away by how it captures the people we are dealing with 80 years later.

harpers.org/archive/1941...

Who Goes Nazi?, by Dorothy Thompson

harpers.org

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Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 14d

Multiple government websites are announcing the “radical left” is shutting down the government. HUD has a banner and a popup right now:

HUD Home | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

www.hud.gov

Mike Duncan @theophrastean.bsky.social · 16d

How much would it cost in today’s dollars to build the Six Million Dollar Man?

Do we even have the technology? Or did we piss it away on AI data centers?

a very blurry picture of a building with a lot of lines

ALT: a very blurry picture of a building with a lot of lines

media.tenor.com