Avi Rappoport
@avirr.bsky.social
Trying to be more curious.
It’s hard to post anything but politics as our nation implodes. But the Medievalsky community is delightful.
FYI: I rarely follow additional accounts that post really often. It’s not you, it’s me.
It’s hard to post anything but politics as our nation implodes. But the Medievalsky community is delightful.
FYI: I rarely follow additional accounts that post really often. It’s not you, it’s me.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
Guillotines
ICE DETAINED MARILYN. Fuck these people. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
‘Northern Exposure’ actor gave ICE agents in Redmond her tribal ID. They called it ‘fake,’ she says
Indigenous actor Elaine Miles of "Northern Exposure" was detained by ICE at a Redmond bus stop. When she showed them her Tribal ID, they told her it was fake.
www.seattletimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Guillotines
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
1. In Tennessee, public libraries have closed for up to a week to facilitate a Trump-inspired book purge.
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett (R) has ordered most of the state's public librarians to remove children's books with LGBTQ characters or themes.
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett (R) has ordered most of the state's public librarians to remove children's books with LGBTQ characters or themes.
Tennessee public libraries close for Trump-inspired book purge
One hundred and eighty-one public libraries in Tennessee are reviewing their children’s collections after Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett (R) ordered them to remove books with LGBTQ themes…
popular.info
November 25, 2025 at 3:09 PM
1. In Tennessee, public libraries have closed for up to a week to facilitate a Trump-inspired book purge.
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett (R) has ordered most of the state's public librarians to remove children's books with LGBTQ characters or themes.
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett (R) has ordered most of the state's public librarians to remove children's books with LGBTQ characters or themes.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
The end of the government shutdown brought good news for federal employees: The bill reverses layoffs made during the shutdown, and those who were furloughed or worked without pay should have started receiving backpay this week.
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
This week at Unbreaking, November 20 — Unbreaking
This week's update covers what the immigration crackdown is doing to our communities, the ongoing exploitation of our personal data, and what's going on with federal workers and medical research fundi...
unbreaking.org
November 25, 2025 at 6:39 PM
The end of the government shutdown brought good news for federal employees: The bill reverses layoffs made during the shutdown, and those who were furloughed or worked without pay should have started receiving backpay this week.
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
The aliens among us: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
Opinion | How the Elite Behave When No One Is Watching: Inside the Epstein Emails
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:18 PM
The aliens among us: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
As @paleofuture.bsky.social notes in this thread, these images were probably created using Google's Nano Banana Pro image generator. NBP is really good at making photorealistic images that are getting really difficult to spot in the wild.
I've seen this image enough now that I feel like I should point out it's fake.
November 24, 2025 at 7:56 PM
As @paleofuture.bsky.social notes in this thread, these images were probably created using Google's Nano Banana Pro image generator. NBP is really good at making photorealistic images that are getting really difficult to spot in the wild.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
Note that that 3000+ MSS online figure is hugely inflated by a ton of charters and hundreds and hundreds of India Office Records from the 19th c. It masks the fact that many, many codices that should be there are not.
"...we are also aiming to launch an interim version of our Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue...In addition, more than 3,000 digitised manuscripts are now available through our new website, with more to be added in the coming months." Post links to the PDF MSS list at www.bl.uk/collection/d...
From the British Library: Restoring our services – November 2025 update
https://www.bl.uk/stories/news/restoring-our-services-november-2025-update
Note the pause on ordering items if you're planning to use the reading rooms Dec 1 - 7!
https://www.bl.uk/stories/news/restoring-our-services-november-2025-update
Note the pause on ordering items if you're planning to use the reading rooms Dec 1 - 7!
November 24, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Note that that 3000+ MSS online figure is hugely inflated by a ton of charters and hundreds and hundreds of India Office Records from the 19th c. It masks the fact that many, many codices that should be there are not.
This is encouraging, but I happen to know that Cal State Sonoma is savagely cutting arts, humanities and social sciences like History
"While other universities report that the humanities are shrinking, at Berkeley, the opposite is true. The music major is the fastest-growing major on campus. We are finding bigger classrooms because film is exploding. English is back to the numbers we saw 15 years ago. We are hiring" bit.ly/4ohKuOe
"The humanities really are a resource — a confidence for living in our times.” Dean Sara Guyer on the modern utility of humanities degrees
This interview originally appeared on the Division of Arts
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 6:15 AM
This is encouraging, but I happen to know that Cal State Sonoma is savagely cutting arts, humanities and social sciences like History
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
There's a UBI post on FB being reposted by thousands of accounts that's pro-UBI disinfo. No, Sweden didn't do a big UBI pilot where 5,000 Swedes got $1800/mo in UBI for 3 years. That never happened. The "results" appear to be AI-generated. UBI works. It doesn't need false data. See my pinned thread.
November 23, 2025 at 4:24 PM
There's a UBI post on FB being reposted by thousands of accounts that's pro-UBI disinfo. No, Sweden didn't do a big UBI pilot where 5,000 Swedes got $1800/mo in UBI for 3 years. That never happened. The "results" appear to be AI-generated. UBI works. It doesn't need false data. See my pinned thread.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
The thing about DOGE is it accomplished neither its ostensible nor actual goals but did manage to cause a couple of holocausts worth of deaths internationally.
And the media finds none of those three things particularly notable.
And the media finds none of those three things particularly notable.
It remains insane to me that DOGE was treated at the time as an impressive shock and awe accomplishment - “you can’t deny he’s getting stuff done!” - and then instantly memory holed by the press once if became clear it was a total failure by every possible standard including Musk’s own
Difficult to overstate how profound a failure DOGE was. Spending in FY2025 was not only than in FY2024 – but higher than it was projected to be when Trump first took office.*
The little bit of spending DOGE cut has already killed hundreds of thousands and will eventually lead to millions of deaths.
The little bit of spending DOGE cut has already killed hundreds of thousands and will eventually lead to millions of deaths.
November 23, 2025 at 4:09 PM
The thing about DOGE is it accomplished neither its ostensible nor actual goals but did manage to cause a couple of holocausts worth of deaths internationally.
And the media finds none of those three things particularly notable.
And the media finds none of those three things particularly notable.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
lol watching the NWSL final, which is taking place in San Jose, and Washington Spirit fans started shouting the now customary "Free DC!" chant at the 51st minute.
An announcer just calmly comments fans are "raising their voices," leaving unsaid at least 2 layers of pretty intense political subtext.
An announcer just calmly comments fans are "raising their voices," leaving unsaid at least 2 layers of pretty intense political subtext.
November 23, 2025 at 2:36 AM
lol watching the NWSL final, which is taking place in San Jose, and Washington Spirit fans started shouting the now customary "Free DC!" chant at the 51st minute.
An announcer just calmly comments fans are "raising their voices," leaving unsaid at least 2 layers of pretty intense political subtext.
An announcer just calmly comments fans are "raising their voices," leaving unsaid at least 2 layers of pretty intense political subtext.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
I once knew a Federal bank examiner, and one time someone asked him why we had to KEEP inspecting banks over and over. He basically said every new batch of business school grads invents bank fraud from first principles.
AirBnB CEO calling it “vibe revenue” just 👨🍳 😘
The underlying cause of every bubble - debt masquerading as financial innovation - depends on not just short financial memory & speculative neophytism, but reinventing jargon of finance, like how each generation of kids has new ways to say same things.
The underlying cause of every bubble - debt masquerading as financial innovation - depends on not just short financial memory & speculative neophytism, but reinventing jargon of finance, like how each generation of kids has new ways to say same things.
November 22, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I once knew a Federal bank examiner, and one time someone asked him why we had to KEEP inspecting banks over and over. He basically said every new batch of business school grads invents bank fraud from first principles.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
Seeing ICE terrorize students has radicalized a lot of previously mild-mannered educators, but this entire arrest is based on what an off-duty cop claimed he overheard them saying at a restaurant. So I’m skeptical.
Kempsville High School assistant principal arrested, charged with making threats against ICE and police trib.al/BazVoVN
Kempsville High School assistant principal arrested, charged with making threats against ICE and police
Two Virginia Beach men are accused of threatening ICE and local law enforcement.
trib.al
November 22, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Seeing ICE terrorize students has radicalized a lot of previously mild-mannered educators, but this entire arrest is based on what an off-duty cop claimed he overheard them saying at a restaurant. So I’m skeptical.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
A reporter asks if Mamdani stands by calling Trump a fascist. Mamdani starts to give a delicate answer.
Trump (smiles, pats Mamdani's arm): "That's OK, you can just say yes. It's easier. I don't mind."
Trump (smiles, pats Mamdani's arm): "That's OK, you can just say yes. It's easier. I don't mind."
November 21, 2025 at 8:53 PM
A reporter asks if Mamdani stands by calling Trump a fascist. Mamdani starts to give a delicate answer.
Trump (smiles, pats Mamdani's arm): "That's OK, you can just say yes. It's easier. I don't mind."
Trump (smiles, pats Mamdani's arm): "That's OK, you can just say yes. It's easier. I don't mind."
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
"She’s not trying to rebuild her reputation as a journalist—she’s building a different kind of brand entirely, one where being interesting matters more than being ethical, where attention is the only currency that still spends."
The best thing I have read about her. www.mediaite.com/opinion/the-...
The best thing I have read about her. www.mediaite.com/opinion/the-...
The Olivia Nuzzi Comeback Is Everything Wrong With Modern Media
Olivia Nuzzi’s comeback isn’t a personal scandal story—it’s proof that today’s media rewards access, personality, and controversy more than ethics.
www.mediaite.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:27 PM
"She’s not trying to rebuild her reputation as a journalist—she’s building a different kind of brand entirely, one where being interesting matters more than being ethical, where attention is the only currency that still spends."
The best thing I have read about her. www.mediaite.com/opinion/the-...
The best thing I have read about her. www.mediaite.com/opinion/the-...
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
Most near death experiences are pretty anticlimactic. We tend to think “faced down a gun wielding maniac”, but can’t really process the hugeness of “went to the dentist” or “finished a round of antibiotics”
November 19, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Most near death experiences are pretty anticlimactic. We tend to think “faced down a gun wielding maniac”, but can’t really process the hugeness of “went to the dentist” or “finished a round of antibiotics”
@alicefraser.bsky.social About the Collector’s Edition that you were discussing on the pod: I think a lot of that kind of ‘art’ is designed for gift packaging. Older people buying stuff they know nothing about.
November 21, 2025 at 5:02 PM
@alicefraser.bsky.social About the Collector’s Edition that you were discussing on the pod: I think a lot of that kind of ‘art’ is designed for gift packaging. Older people buying stuff they know nothing about.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
An X user asks Elon Musk why they’re seeing tweets from left-wing lawmakers.
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
November 21, 2025 at 12:34 AM
An X user asks Elon Musk why they’re seeing tweets from left-wing lawmakers.
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
It is indisputable that Brexit has been an economic disaster, and notable that none of its political architects have paid any price.
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist
Brexit Hit to UK Economy Double Official Estimate, Study Finds
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist.
bloom.bg
November 21, 2025 at 10:15 AM
It is indisputable that Brexit has been an economic disaster, and notable that none of its political architects have paid any price.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
florence pew: thread
November 15, 2025 at 2:25 AM
florence pew: thread
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
This moral radicalization happened at all levels in the Union army, very much including Ulysses S. Grant.
A lot of Northerners needed to SEE it to become true believers in the cause. But they did. It’s all there if you listen to the lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
A lot of Northerners needed to SEE it to become true believers in the cause. But they did. It’s all there if you listen to the lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
“I’ll fight until hell freezes over and then I’ll cut the ice and fight on”
November 17, 2025 at 10:18 PM
This moral radicalization happened at all levels in the Union army, very much including Ulysses S. Grant.
A lot of Northerners needed to SEE it to become true believers in the cause. But they did. It’s all there if you listen to the lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
A lot of Northerners needed to SEE it to become true believers in the cause. But they did. It’s all there if you listen to the lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
My biggest GenAI-related intellectual fear is about the future of “I don’t know”
Giving medical advice, sometimes ChatGPT is right, and sometimes it is quite wrong, but it is hard to tell the difference:
"Rather, Wachter identified something more frightening: ChatGPT’s dangerous answers don’t sound risky to a non-doctor. The chatbot always sounds confident and authoritative."
"Rather, Wachter identified something more frightening: ChatGPT’s dangerous answers don’t sound risky to a non-doctor. The chatbot always sounds confident and authoritative."
Column | We found what you’re asking ChatGPT about health. A doctor scored its answers.
Asking a doctor to review 12 real examples of ChatGPT giving health advice revealed patterns that can help you get more out of the AI chatbot.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:09 PM
My biggest GenAI-related intellectual fear is about the future of “I don’t know”
Reposted by Avi Rappoport
This mural has gone up in Kingston, ostensibly for Christmas but AI has ensured it's actually to celebrate the return of our dark lord Cthulhu
November 18, 2025 at 9:44 AM
This mural has gone up in Kingston, ostensibly for Christmas but AI has ensured it's actually to celebrate the return of our dark lord Cthulhu