C. E. M. Henderson
@cemhend.bsky.social
PhD@UToronto CMS. Palaeography, codicology, forensics skeptic. Also Chaucer and video games. Wikipedia editor (AMA). AuDHD. 🏴🏳️⚧️
Also @[email protected] and cemhend on birdsite
Also @[email protected] and cemhend on birdsite
Pinned
C. E. M. Henderson
@cemhend.bsky.social
· Nov 12
Hi new folks! 👋
I’m in my last year* of dissertation-writing about Medieval English scribal identification. Can we do it: by consensus (no); with some help from forensics (also no); at all (unclear); with the help of machine learning (surprisingly maybe yes)?
*if I can stop getting in car crashes
I’m in my last year* of dissertation-writing about Medieval English scribal identification. Can we do it: by consensus (no); with some help from forensics (also no); at all (unclear); with the help of machine learning (surprisingly maybe yes)?
*if I can stop getting in car crashes
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
Seeing how much of the right-wing on Twitter is just bot farms, kinda lays bare how much hate and hatred is a project that needs to be constantly maintained, a fire that needs to be fed all the time lest it go out for a moment, so much time, effort, and resources to keep people angry and hateful.
November 24, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Seeing how much of the right-wing on Twitter is just bot farms, kinda lays bare how much hate and hatred is a project that needs to be constantly maintained, a fire that needs to be fed all the time lest it go out for a moment, so much time, effort, and resources to keep people angry and hateful.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
My neurodivergent tip is the same as my writer’s craft tip: talk to yourself. I learned this one in workshop but it is effective for task initiation problems.
My author pro tip is buy canned soup.
November 24, 2025 at 5:42 PM
My neurodivergent tip is the same as my writer’s craft tip: talk to yourself. I learned this one in workshop but it is effective for task initiation problems.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
If they want to prosecute Mark Kelly in a military court for proposing military personnel follow all lawful orders that should make for very good fun
November 24, 2025 at 4:58 PM
If they want to prosecute Mark Kelly in a military court for proposing military personnel follow all lawful orders that should make for very good fun
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
Middle school sucked for me, as it did most people my age. 9/11 happened smack in the middle of it, we were in a disgustingly conservative suburb of a military town that kind of operated like a small town.
However. My 8th grade social studies teacher is probably the reason a bunch of us survived.
However. My 8th grade social studies teacher is probably the reason a bunch of us survived.
November 21, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Middle school sucked for me, as it did most people my age. 9/11 happened smack in the middle of it, we were in a disgustingly conservative suburb of a military town that kind of operated like a small town.
However. My 8th grade social studies teacher is probably the reason a bunch of us survived.
However. My 8th grade social studies teacher is probably the reason a bunch of us survived.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
The Zohran press conference is your regular reminder that the entire administration folds like tissue paper at the slightest hint of confidence and conviction, and thus the fact that national democrats are playing a game of capitulation and weakness is exactly why they're all getting away with it
November 21, 2025 at 9:54 PM
The Zohran press conference is your regular reminder that the entire administration folds like tissue paper at the slightest hint of confidence and conviction, and thus the fact that national democrats are playing a game of capitulation and weakness is exactly why they're all getting away with it
November 20, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
This is just so grim. Students deserve to be taught by experts, not be expected to settle for AI. It is so disheartening to add this to the list of ways in which staff expertise is devalued, undermined or sidelined by institutions across the sector.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
‘We could have asked ChatGPT’: students fight back over course taught by AI
Staffordshire students say signs material was AI-generated included suspicious file names and rogue voiceover accent
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:34 AM
This is just so grim. Students deserve to be taught by experts, not be expected to settle for AI. It is so disheartening to add this to the list of ways in which staff expertise is devalued, undermined or sidelined by institutions across the sector.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
I have been WAITING for a journalist to write this story.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
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 1:48 PM
I have been WAITING for a journalist to write this story.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
We’re watching a shift where AI simulates the cohesion and reinforcement that used to require an entire online community. A single person can now build a complete parallel reality with nothing more than a prompt window. Which seems bad.
November 19, 2025 at 2:25 PM
We’re watching a shift where AI simulates the cohesion and reinforcement that used to require an entire online community. A single person can now build a complete parallel reality with nothing more than a prompt window. Which seems bad.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
One of my photos of a strange derpy gallfly now graces the Wikipedia article for the species, and this pleases me 🥹🧪
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurosta...
Eurosta floridensis 🤎
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurosta...
Eurosta floridensis 🤎
Eurosta floridensis - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 18, 2025 at 4:39 AM
One of my photos of a strange derpy gallfly now graces the Wikipedia article for the species, and this pleases me 🥹🧪
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurosta...
Eurosta floridensis 🤎
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurosta...
Eurosta floridensis 🤎
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
This is how you know that it's not about the money. Because if it were, then libraries would not keep being defunded.
November 18, 2025 at 2:45 AM
This is how you know that it's not about the money. Because if it were, then libraries would not keep being defunded.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
Latest government cruelties are simply performative, as countless studies have shown these rules won’t work as a deterrence
In Sept 2020 Home Office said its own research + external evidence was asylum seekers rarely knew much about asylum rules, about welfare systems, and that there was no clear link between grant rates + where people apply.
Those who'd heard something did not perceive UK more generous than France
Those who'd heard something did not perceive UK more generous than France
November 16, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Latest government cruelties are simply performative, as countless studies have shown these rules won’t work as a deterrence
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
The incredible, indomitable, inspirational Alice Wong has left us.
I'm so grateful to have known her on social media, and so grateful for all the words she shared with us and all the actions she encouraged us into making.
May we live up to her example.
(so you don't have to go to Instagram)
I'm so grateful to have known her on social media, and so grateful for all the words she shared with us and all the actions she encouraged us into making.
May we live up to her example.
(so you don't have to go to Instagram)
November 15, 2025 at 6:13 AM
The incredible, indomitable, inspirational Alice Wong has left us.
I'm so grateful to have known her on social media, and so grateful for all the words she shared with us and all the actions she encouraged us into making.
May we live up to her example.
(so you don't have to go to Instagram)
I'm so grateful to have known her on social media, and so grateful for all the words she shared with us and all the actions she encouraged us into making.
May we live up to her example.
(so you don't have to go to Instagram)
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
it is exceptionally fun to stumble onto a discourse about "the dark ages are real" discourse by 2 dudes, both historians, who are neither of them medievalists
both are, you'll be shocked, military and political historians
anyway, just gonna post this until the heat death of the universe i guess
both are, you'll be shocked, military and political historians
anyway, just gonna post this until the heat death of the universe i guess
You Gotta Do the Reading, Man
Why does the idea of the "Dark Ages" mean so much to econobros?
buttondown.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:03 PM
it is exceptionally fun to stumble onto a discourse about "the dark ages are real" discourse by 2 dudes, both historians, who are neither of them medievalists
both are, you'll be shocked, military and political historians
anyway, just gonna post this until the heat death of the universe i guess
both are, you'll be shocked, military and political historians
anyway, just gonna post this until the heat death of the universe i guess
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
what people think medieval history is: wars! kings! cathedrals! filthy peasants!
what medieval history really is: bills, wills, monks crashing out
what medieval history really is: bills, wills, monks crashing out
I find the phrase “makes history” nonsensical. Have you seen the stuff historians study? Just dropping an old piece of farm equipment down a well or accidentally freezing to death in a glacier gives you a good shot at the history books
November 14, 2025 at 8:49 PM
what people think medieval history is: wars! kings! cathedrals! filthy peasants!
what medieval history really is: bills, wills, monks crashing out
what medieval history really is: bills, wills, monks crashing out
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
So here's what we have: An AI-powered encyclopedia that heavily leans on a volunteer effort that Musk has repeatedly attacked, which selectively edits a subset of topics to recast based with an undisclosed set of instructions. For those pages, citations to conspiracy sites and hate groups go up.
Grokipedia cites a Nazi forum and fringe conspiracy websites
A site-wide comparison with Wikipedia sheds light on what Elon Musk is trying to do
indicator.media
November 13, 2025 at 2:01 PM
So here's what we have: An AI-powered encyclopedia that heavily leans on a volunteer effort that Musk has repeatedly attacked, which selectively edits a subset of topics to recast based with an undisclosed set of instructions. For those pages, citations to conspiracy sites and hate groups go up.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
After a week of reviewing the site-wide data and many entries in detail, I think Grokipedia has made significant editorial decisions around sourcing and topic treatment that lend credence to @matteowong.bsky.social's argument in The Atlantic that it is “the next step in Musk’s propaganda machine.”
Grokipedia cites a Nazi forum and fringe conspiracy websites
A site-wide comparison with Wikipedia sheds light on what Elon Musk is trying to do
indicator.media
November 13, 2025 at 1:50 PM
After a week of reviewing the site-wide data and many entries in detail, I think Grokipedia has made significant editorial decisions around sourcing and topic treatment that lend credence to @matteowong.bsky.social's argument in The Atlantic that it is “the next step in Musk’s propaganda machine.”
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
Grokipedia cites domains with a super low quality score (0.0 to 0.2) *seven times* more than Wikipedia.
November 13, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Grokipedia cites domains with a super low quality score (0.0 to 0.2) *seven times* more than Wikipedia.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
We used the Perennial Sources list maintained by EN-Wiki as well as a domain quality score compiled by Lin et al. to approximate the quality of sources cited by Grokipedia v Wikipedia.
Grokipedia includes 2.7 million citations to "generally unreliable", "blacklisted" or "deprecated" sources
Grokipedia includes 2.7 million citations to "generally unreliable", "blacklisted" or "deprecated" sources
November 13, 2025 at 1:41 PM
We used the Perennial Sources list maintained by EN-Wiki as well as a domain quality score compiled by Lin et al. to approximate the quality of sources cited by Grokipedia v Wikipedia.
Grokipedia includes 2.7 million citations to "generally unreliable", "blacklisted" or "deprecated" sources
Grokipedia includes 2.7 million citations to "generally unreliable", "blacklisted" or "deprecated" sources
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
The pilfering, however, is selective. On articles in Wikipedia's "controversial topics" bucket, the differences are far greater.
And that's where Grokipedia disproportionately adds low-quality sources, including Stormfront and InfoWars.
And that's where Grokipedia disproportionately adds low-quality sources, including Stormfront and InfoWars.
November 13, 2025 at 1:22 PM
The pilfering, however, is selective. On articles in Wikipedia's "controversial topics" bucket, the differences are far greater.
And that's where Grokipedia disproportionately adds low-quality sources, including Stormfront and InfoWars.
And that's where Grokipedia disproportionately adds low-quality sources, including Stormfront and InfoWars.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
NEW on @indicator.media: A first *full-scale* comparison of Grokipedia v Wikipedia.
Last week the awesome @harold.bsky.social rocked up to my desk bearing gifts.
Hal had collected almost all 900K Grokipedia entries and compared them to their Wikipedia equivalents for text and citation similarity.
Last week the awesome @harold.bsky.social rocked up to my desk bearing gifts.
Hal had collected almost all 900K Grokipedia entries and compared them to their Wikipedia equivalents for text and citation similarity.
Grokipedia cites a Nazi forum and fringe conspiracy websites
A site-wide comparison with Wikipedia sheds light on what Elon Musk is trying to do
indicator.media
November 13, 2025 at 1:12 PM
NEW on @indicator.media: A first *full-scale* comparison of Grokipedia v Wikipedia.
Last week the awesome @harold.bsky.social rocked up to my desk bearing gifts.
Hal had collected almost all 900K Grokipedia entries and compared them to their Wikipedia equivalents for text and citation similarity.
Last week the awesome @harold.bsky.social rocked up to my desk bearing gifts.
Hal had collected almost all 900K Grokipedia entries and compared them to their Wikipedia equivalents for text and citation similarity.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
Pre-1900, half the population was still working in fields, & even at peak “good middle class manufacturing jobs” in the 1950s, that was only 25% of employment. On this & so many other issues, our contemporary politics are detached from the reality of actual 🇺🇸 history.
November 9, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Pre-1900, half the population was still working in fields, & even at peak “good middle class manufacturing jobs” in the 1950s, that was only 25% of employment. On this & so many other issues, our contemporary politics are detached from the reality of actual 🇺🇸 history.
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
Update: back to medieval (Roman?) level conflicts like “local authorities deny all faiths permission to pray”
I can’t believe we’re back to medieval level conflicts like “local authorities deny catholic prisoners the Eucharist, bishop arrives, Papal sanction may follow”
Chicago Auxiliary Bishop José María Garcia-Maldonado at ICE detention facility: “Being here is an act of holiness…soon we will seek access to the facility to bring the Eucharist to our brothers and sisters; if they say no again, we will keep praying.”
November 8, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Update: back to medieval (Roman?) level conflicts like “local authorities deny all faiths permission to pray”
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
Exactly!
“Honestly, seeing “women” as a turf to be defended, as opposed to a set of imperatives and limitations to be criticized, challenged, changed, or transcended, has been pretty startling.”
“Honestly, seeing “women” as a turf to be defended, as opposed to a set of imperatives and limitations to be criticized, challenged, changed, or transcended, has been pretty startling.”
if you terfs actually spent time reading radical feminists instead of selectively quoting them you’d realise, very quickly, that ‘gender critical’ is just bigotry rooted in patriarchy.
here is catherine mackinnon:
here is catherine mackinnon:
![Much of the current debate has centered on (endlessly obsessed over, actually) whether trans women are women. Honestly, seeing “women” as a turf to be defended, as opposed to a set of imperatives and limitations to be criticized, challenged, changed, or transcended, has been pretty startling. One might think that trans women—assigned male at birth, leaving masculinity behind, drawn to and embracing womanhood for themselves—would be welcomed. Yet a group of philosophers purporting feminism slide sloppily from “female sex” through “feminine gender” straight to “women” as if no move has been made,[4] eventually reverting to the dictionary: a woman is an “adult human female.”[5] Defining women by biology—adult is biological age, human is biological species, female is biological sex—used to be criticized as biological essentialism. Those winging to the Right are thrilled by this putatively feminist reduction of women to female body parts, preferably chromosomes and reproductive apparatus, qualities chosen so that whatever is considered definitive of sex is not only physical but cannot be physically changed into.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:bcgtpezwhu5ynanpiezkmfim/bafkreigw3lotshdxaqfr6b42ttj2keuc4dywkwtbjag7fvnxlm5lonzr54@jpeg)
November 8, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Exactly!
“Honestly, seeing “women” as a turf to be defended, as opposed to a set of imperatives and limitations to be criticized, challenged, changed, or transcended, has been pretty startling.”
“Honestly, seeing “women” as a turf to be defended, as opposed to a set of imperatives and limitations to be criticized, challenged, changed, or transcended, has been pretty startling.”
Reposted by C. E. M. Henderson
If you know anyone who works on medieval Judaism, please send them this! Binghamton is hiring a Talmud/Rabbinics assistant prof: half in Judaic Studies, half in the Med/Ren center. A killer R1 job for the right person, and not a ton of applicants so far....
binghamton.interviewexchange.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:44 AM
If you know anyone who works on medieval Judaism, please send them this! Binghamton is hiring a Talmud/Rabbinics assistant prof: half in Judaic Studies, half in the Med/Ren center. A killer R1 job for the right person, and not a ton of applicants so far....