Chet DeFonso
@chetdefonso.bsky.social
Yooperprof. British historian. Occasional actor. Jet Set Chet. Reader of books. Likes opera. Also beer. LGBTQ club member. He/him.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
Look around. The case for more, not less, liberal arts education - actual, real education in reading, writing, thinking, arguing, analyzing, & synthesizing by doing the actual hard work for which there is no substitute - is stronger than it’s ever been at any point in human history.
November 30, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Look around. The case for more, not less, liberal arts education - actual, real education in reading, writing, thinking, arguing, analyzing, & synthesizing by doing the actual hard work for which there is no substitute - is stronger than it’s ever been at any point in human history.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
For at least a year, I've been returning to the question, how would you know when it's time to leave the US? For this piece, I asked trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer Americans who, with their families and partners, have recently fled the country, about how they made this decision and how they left.
When Is It Time to Flee?
Trans people and their families are facing hard questions and choices as threats to their safety and rights proliferate.
newrepublic.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:00 PM
For at least a year, I've been returning to the question, how would you know when it's time to leave the US? For this piece, I asked trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer Americans who, with their families and partners, have recently fled the country, about how they made this decision and how they left.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
Using official White House platforms to shame news organizations for their reporting is unconstitutional government retaliation against the press.
November 29, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Using official White House platforms to shame news organizations for their reporting is unconstitutional government retaliation against the press.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
Previously forbidden bigotries have penetrated the heart of the Trump-era Republican Party. It has also revealed a somewhat different, yet related pathology: the brain death of the conservative movement.
The Conservative Movement’s Intellectual Collapse
Trump is both a product and a cause of the decline in intellectual standards on the right.
www.theatlantic.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Previously forbidden bigotries have penetrated the heart of the Trump-era Republican Party. It has also revealed a somewhat different, yet related pathology: the brain death of the conservative movement.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
Military law experts are broadly agreed that this was not a "privileged homicide," and therefore Hegseth faces the prospect of prosecution for murder and spending the rest of his life behind bars. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Pete Hegseth’s order to ‘kill everybody’ included alleged drug boat survivors: report
More than 80 people killed in campaign that law-of-war experts have labeled extrajudicial murder
www.independent.co.uk
November 29, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Military law experts are broadly agreed that this was not a "privileged homicide," and therefore Hegseth faces the prospect of prosecution for murder and spending the rest of his life behind bars. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
Communities need used-book shops.
As the trends in our world are increasingly standardized and entrenched by "predictive" technologies that stifle innovation and reduce human actions into economic categories...
We need a full range of possibilities for readers and communities to explore and share.
As the trends in our world are increasingly standardized and entrenched by "predictive" technologies that stifle innovation and reduce human actions into economic categories...
We need a full range of possibilities for readers and communities to explore and share.
November 27, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Communities need used-book shops.
As the trends in our world are increasingly standardized and entrenched by "predictive" technologies that stifle innovation and reduce human actions into economic categories...
We need a full range of possibilities for readers and communities to explore and share.
As the trends in our world are increasingly standardized and entrenched by "predictive" technologies that stifle innovation and reduce human actions into economic categories...
We need a full range of possibilities for readers and communities to explore and share.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
A reminder for those who are not aware: "remigration" is the process of deporting all non-white people from a country. It includes citizens and is, by definition, ethnic cleansing.
And to be clear: this is not fake. I just screenshot it myself.
And to be clear: this is not fake. I just screenshot it myself.
November 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
A reminder for those who are not aware: "remigration" is the process of deporting all non-white people from a country. It includes citizens and is, by definition, ethnic cleansing.
And to be clear: this is not fake. I just screenshot it myself.
And to be clear: this is not fake. I just screenshot it myself.
And I'll never forget this about Jonestown.
November 28, 2025 at 4:24 PM
And I'll never forget this about Jonestown.
This is a classic.
November 28, 2025 at 4:22 PM
This is a classic.
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen.
Stephane Grappelli
Tony Bennett
Shirley Horn
Chick Corea
Keith Jarrett
Stephane Grappelli
Tony Bennett
Shirley Horn
Chick Corea
Keith Jarrett
November 28, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen.
Stephane Grappelli
Tony Bennett
Shirley Horn
Chick Corea
Keith Jarrett
Stephane Grappelli
Tony Bennett
Shirley Horn
Chick Corea
Keith Jarrett
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
SCOOP: The Trump administration has instructed employees and grantees not to use U.S. funds to commemorate World AIDS Day — because the observance was started by the World Health Organization.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/h...
Trump Administration Cancels U.S. Observance of World AIDS Day
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:41 PM
SCOOP: The Trump administration has instructed employees and grantees not to use U.S. funds to commemorate World AIDS Day — because the observance was started by the World Health Organization.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/h...
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
November 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
"The White House isn't sure whether Trump actually had a phone call or just imagined it" is where we are on the dementia scale now.
An amazing new Trump controversy, Part II of II:
- Saturday afternoon: Trump says he spoke to Bolsonaro the night before and planned to see him “in the very near future”
- Monday afternoon: The Trump White House isn’t sure whether Trump actually had the conversation he referenced two days earlier
- Saturday afternoon: Trump says he spoke to Bolsonaro the night before and planned to see him “in the very near future”
- Monday afternoon: The Trump White House isn’t sure whether Trump actually had the conversation he referenced two days earlier
White House hedges on Trump’s curious claim about his call with Brazil’s Bolsonaro White House hedges on Trump’s curious claim about his call with Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro
Did the Republican president talk to Bolsonaro as the Brazilian plotted to escape? Trump said yes, but the White House isn’t so sure.
www.ms.now
November 25, 2025 at 6:49 PM
"The White House isn't sure whether Trump actually had a phone call or just imagined it" is where we are on the dementia scale now.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
BREAKING: This is huge news, the EU's equivalent of the 🇺🇸Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
www.reuters.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:10 AM
BREAKING: This is huge news, the EU's equivalent of the 🇺🇸Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
Not a bug, but a feature.
Where I work, grad student enrollment in Engineering and Business is down 70% and 40%, respectively.
Now, to cover the loss in revenue from these Departments, the rest of the colleges have to take MASSIVE hits. History Dept alone has cut/closed 6 TT lines. Forget about raises or salary equity. 🫠
Now, to cover the loss in revenue from these Departments, the rest of the colleges have to take MASSIVE hits. History Dept alone has cut/closed 6 TT lines. Forget about raises or salary equity. 🫠
Enrollment by international students from China dropped by 3 percent, from India by 4 percent, and enrollment from students from Mexico has flatlined. Here are the likely consequences for Texas' education and economy:
November 25, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Not a bug, but a feature.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
Gender-affirming care saves lives
1. A landmark study was just published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
It found a 68% reduction in suicidality for trans youth getting HRT.
It also found only 7 of more than 400 stopped taking HRT... and of those that did, 4 still identified as gender-diverse.
Transgender care saves lives.
It found a 68% reduction in suicidality for trans youth getting HRT.
It also found only 7 of more than 400 stopped taking HRT... and of those that did, 4 still identified as gender-diverse.
Transgender care saves lives.
Study In The Journal Of Pediatrics Finds Trans Youth Care Lowers Suicidality, Few Detransition
The groundbreaking study found that suicidality dropped for transgender youth receiving hormone therapy by nearly 70%, with only 7 patients of 432 discontinuing treatment.
www.erininthemorning.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Gender-affirming care saves lives
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
Does the BBC think it's improper for a speaker to state their opinion that Donald Trump is the most openly corrupt president in American history?
Because I think almost all historians would readily agree that Donald Trump is the most openly corrupt president in American history.
Because I think almost all historians would readily agree that Donald Trump is the most openly corrupt president in American history.
BBC censors a lecture removing author’s remarks on Trump that refer to him a the most openly corrupt American president.
November 25, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Does the BBC think it's improper for a speaker to state their opinion that Donald Trump is the most openly corrupt president in American history?
Because I think almost all historians would readily agree that Donald Trump is the most openly corrupt president in American history.
Because I think almost all historians would readily agree that Donald Trump is the most openly corrupt president in American history.
Nothing fishy about this!
I'm recruiting a new master's student for fall 2026 in my lab at Northern Michigan University @bionmu.bsky.social ! Students with interests in evolution of freshwater fish are encouraged to apply. Please see our lab website lizmandeville.github.io and the attached advertisement for more information.
Mandeville Lab
Fish are so delightfully weird. We study the evolutionary genetics and ecology of freshwater fishes, plus a few more things, at Northern Michigan University
lizmandeville.github.io
November 24, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Nothing fishy about this!
It's almost as if they are using Tsar Putin the Terrible as a role model.
JD Vance and Peter Thiel are running a sustained operation out of the White House designed to acquire Greenland, either voluntarily or by force. Thiel has laid out plans for what he intends to do with the island nation in past writings. It doesn't entail the consent of the Greenlanders for anything.
November 24, 2025 at 3:17 AM
It's almost as if they are using Tsar Putin the Terrible as a role model.
Tbh, I'm surprised it's worth that much.
Well that’ll correct its right wing bias!
Daily Mail publisher agrees to buy Daily Telegraph for £500m www.bbc.com/news/article...
Daily Mail publisher agrees to buy Daily Telegraph for £500m www.bbc.com/news/article...
Daily Mail owner agrees to buy Daily Telegraph for £500m
The publisher of the Daily Mail says it is in talks to buy the Daily and Sunday Telegraph for £500m.
www.bbc.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Tbh, I'm surprised it's worth that much.
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Nicholas McGegan conductor, Handel Messiah. Cheryl Hill choral director. Btw, McGegan was musician in residence at Wash U in St Louis when I was an undergrad there in the early 1980s.
November 22, 2025 at 4:18 AM
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Nicholas McGegan conductor, Handel Messiah. Cheryl Hill choral director. Btw, McGegan was musician in residence at Wash U in St Louis when I was an undergrad there in the early 1980s.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
All the rape, torture, and murder will be brushed under the carpet, a great lesson for any future war criminals.
November 21, 2025 at 7:08 AM
All the rape, torture, and murder will be brushed under the carpet, a great lesson for any future war criminals.
Reposted by Chet DeFonso
Rep. Goodlander should followed up asking him if he intended to follow the law & the constitution as he committed to when he was sworn in. If he didn’t respond in the affirmative, she should have informed him she would be filing impeachment paperwork & actually done so.
bsky.app/profile/atru...
bsky.app/profile/atru...
Rep. Goodlander: "When the Sec Def came before the House Armed Services Committee, I asked him a simple question that has one answer only. I asked him, 'Will you abide by a decision of SCOTUS?' Sec. Hegseth refused to commit to doing so. This put our service members in an impossible position."
November 21, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Rep. Goodlander should followed up asking him if he intended to follow the law & the constitution as he committed to when he was sworn in. If he didn’t respond in the affirmative, she should have informed him she would be filing impeachment paperwork & actually done so.
bsky.app/profile/atru...
bsky.app/profile/atru...
