Douglass S Rovinsky, PhD
@dsrovinsky.bsky.social
Thylacines, sabretooths, marsupial megafauna | Palaeobiology | Morphology, Evolution, Functional Ecology | Exhibitions Content Specialist at Australian Museum (he/him)
The system is based on you being an independently wealthy white male that either dips and dalliances through relationships or cares so little for their partner's independent life that they control the whole thing.
November 26, 2025 at 1:24 AM
The system is based on you being an independently wealthy white male that either dips and dalliances through relationships or cares so little for their partner's independent life that they control the whole thing.
This (broad) issue is one of the things that scuttled my career.
I was unprepared for how small the job market was in Australia & unwilling to move every year or so for the foreseeable future.
My partner has her own career; can't just say "Pack up, witch; we're moving to Bristol for 12 months".
I was unprepared for how small the job market was in Australia & unwilling to move every year or so for the foreseeable future.
My partner has her own career; can't just say "Pack up, witch; we're moving to Bristol for 12 months".
November 26, 2025 at 1:24 AM
This (broad) issue is one of the things that scuttled my career.
I was unprepared for how small the job market was in Australia & unwilling to move every year or so for the foreseeable future.
My partner has her own career; can't just say "Pack up, witch; we're moving to Bristol for 12 months".
I was unprepared for how small the job market was in Australia & unwilling to move every year or so for the foreseeable future.
My partner has her own career; can't just say "Pack up, witch; we're moving to Bristol for 12 months".
We commissioned a reconstruction of W. oldfieldi (and T. carnifex). Pity the exhibit hasn't re-opened yet, so I can't share them now.
Nothing fancy, very simple profile view in motion kinda thing. But hopefully alright! It's always interestingly difficult to work as consultant on things like that.
Nothing fancy, very simple profile view in motion kinda thing. But hopefully alright! It's always interestingly difficult to work as consultant on things like that.
November 25, 2025 at 8:54 PM
We commissioned a reconstruction of W. oldfieldi (and T. carnifex). Pity the exhibit hasn't re-opened yet, so I can't share them now.
Nothing fancy, very simple profile view in motion kinda thing. But hopefully alright! It's always interestingly difficult to work as consultant on things like that.
Nothing fancy, very simple profile view in motion kinda thing. But hopefully alright! It's always interestingly difficult to work as consultant on things like that.
The big mixer at SVP - that’s where I met (and drunken fan-boy’d all over) William Stout! 🤣🫢
This reminds me I have something to send Adam, and I can’t remember if I ever got around to it…
This reminds me I have something to send Adam, and I can’t remember if I ever got around to it…
November 25, 2025 at 8:13 PM
The big mixer at SVP - that’s where I met (and drunken fan-boy’d all over) William Stout! 🤣🫢
This reminds me I have something to send Adam, and I can’t remember if I ever got around to it…
This reminds me I have something to send Adam, and I can’t remember if I ever got around to it…
Awesome!
Adam is a good dude, glad you're working with him.
Adam is a good dude, glad you're working with him.
November 25, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Awesome!
Adam is a good dude, glad you're working with him.
Adam is a good dude, glad you're working with him.
Oooh neat! There was a recent-ish paper out on Wakaleo postcrania by Warburton and... Yates, iirc?
I'd be interested to see the result you come up with!
I'd be interested to see the result you come up with!
November 25, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Oooh neat! There was a recent-ish paper out on Wakaleo postcrania by Warburton and... Yates, iirc?
I'd be interested to see the result you come up with!
I'd be interested to see the result you come up with!
Oh yeah, I always did. It's just that the more or less don't exist down here, and I've long ago gotten used to making press-pot coffee.
Still can't really do espresso, though - it tends to turn my stomach.
Still can't really do espresso, though - it tends to turn my stomach.
November 25, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Oh yeah, I always did. It's just that the more or less don't exist down here, and I've long ago gotten used to making press-pot coffee.
Still can't really do espresso, though - it tends to turn my stomach.
Still can't really do espresso, though - it tends to turn my stomach.
Back when I used drip coffee makers, I have (more frequently than I'd like to admit) made an entire pot just of hot water.
November 25, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Back when I used drip coffee makers, I have (more frequently than I'd like to admit) made an entire pot just of hot water.
Their reconstructions look the best to me, head-wise.
Seemed to have missed the hallux on the hind foot though - at least from what I'm seeing.
Seemed to have missed the hallux on the hind foot though - at least from what I'm seeing.
November 25, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Their reconstructions look the best to me, head-wise.
Seemed to have missed the hallux on the hind foot though - at least from what I'm seeing.
Seemed to have missed the hallux on the hind foot though - at least from what I'm seeing.
Yeah. Twit was a great networking tool, a great place to ask (and answer) questions, and even have relatively deep discussions about esoterica.
I mean, I got into a 'fight' over the proper way to display PCA results, for crying out loud. 😆
I mean, I got into a 'fight' over the proper way to display PCA results, for crying out loud. 😆
November 25, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Yeah. Twit was a great networking tool, a great place to ask (and answer) questions, and even have relatively deep discussions about esoterica.
I mean, I got into a 'fight' over the proper way to display PCA results, for crying out loud. 😆
I mean, I got into a 'fight' over the proper way to display PCA results, for crying out loud. 😆
Reading this now - I should send you some images etc. of our stuff once the exhibit re-opens. We are putting the Finch 1971 'mother & young' on display!
November 24, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Reading this now - I should send you some images etc. of our stuff once the exhibit re-opens. We are putting the Finch 1971 'mother & young' on display!
Good to know!
Again, makes me wonder what these weirdos were up to.
Again, makes me wonder what these weirdos were up to.
November 24, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Good to know!
Again, makes me wonder what these weirdos were up to.
Again, makes me wonder what these weirdos were up to.
It is almost none whatsoever here - elsewhere it's minimal to middling, but none of the platforms come close to what Twitter used to be like.
And yeah, I know - I'm just an anecdotal point!
And yeah, I know - I'm just an anecdotal point!
November 24, 2025 at 8:35 PM
It is almost none whatsoever here - elsewhere it's minimal to middling, but none of the platforms come close to what Twitter used to be like.
And yeah, I know - I'm just an anecdotal point!
And yeah, I know - I'm just an anecdotal point!
From my understanding, osteoderms only seem to be present within Mylodontidae, correct?
Kinda makes you wonder what the heck it was they were doing (presumably to each other) to warrant them, doesn't it?
Kinda makes you wonder what the heck it was they were doing (presumably to each other) to warrant them, doesn't it?
November 24, 2025 at 8:23 PM
From my understanding, osteoderms only seem to be present within Mylodontidae, correct?
Kinda makes you wonder what the heck it was they were doing (presumably to each other) to warrant them, doesn't it?
Kinda makes you wonder what the heck it was they were doing (presumably to each other) to warrant them, doesn't it?
Maybe it will get there, but that’s a long way off, from what I can see.
November 24, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Maybe it will get there, but that’s a long way off, from what I can see.
Yeah, I saw that!
And sure, lots have switched, but the platform itself is different; it’s a different field of play with a different play style and players. IMO it is simply not a replacement. Heck, I get more meaningful engagement now on Instagram or Facebook! 😬
It just isn’t used the same way.
And sure, lots have switched, but the platform itself is different; it’s a different field of play with a different play style and players. IMO it is simply not a replacement. Heck, I get more meaningful engagement now on Instagram or Facebook! 😬
It just isn’t used the same way.
November 24, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Yeah, I saw that!
And sure, lots have switched, but the platform itself is different; it’s a different field of play with a different play style and players. IMO it is simply not a replacement. Heck, I get more meaningful engagement now on Instagram or Facebook! 😬
It just isn’t used the same way.
And sure, lots have switched, but the platform itself is different; it’s a different field of play with a different play style and players. IMO it is simply not a replacement. Heck, I get more meaningful engagement now on Instagram or Facebook! 😬
It just isn’t used the same way.
The engagement with the non-academic sphere was real and amazing. You could be discussing the finer points of weighing character states and rabbit trail into a whole sub-thread with interested lay folk.
It was a great tool for us, especially ECRs.
And it is utterly and irrevocably dead.
It was a great tool for us, especially ECRs.
And it is utterly and irrevocably dead.
November 24, 2025 at 8:07 PM
The engagement with the non-academic sphere was real and amazing. You could be discussing the finer points of weighing character states and rabbit trail into a whole sub-thread with interested lay folk.
It was a great tool for us, especially ECRs.
And it is utterly and irrevocably dead.
It was a great tool for us, especially ECRs.
And it is utterly and irrevocably dead.
Twitter really had become a useful science platform. Almost all of us were in it in meaningful ways.
I know many scientists that got jobs via Twitter (every I was offered a few positions!).
There would be huge threads of discussion, teaching, idea transfer. And not just with other scientists!
I know many scientists that got jobs via Twitter (every I was offered a few positions!).
There would be huge threads of discussion, teaching, idea transfer. And not just with other scientists!
November 24, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Twitter really had become a useful science platform. Almost all of us were in it in meaningful ways.
I know many scientists that got jobs via Twitter (every I was offered a few positions!).
There would be huge threads of discussion, teaching, idea transfer. And not just with other scientists!
I know many scientists that got jobs via Twitter (every I was offered a few positions!).
There would be huge threads of discussion, teaching, idea transfer. And not just with other scientists!
It’s an absolute ghost town here; no engagement, Little out reach, no lively discourse. No meetings and ideas transferred. It’s not the same place, and it’s not really worth the same effort.
November 24, 2025 at 7:37 PM
It’s an absolute ghost town here; no engagement, Little out reach, no lively discourse. No meetings and ideas transferred. It’s not the same place, and it’s not really worth the same effort.
I love all the people telling you that you are wrong, when the numbers show that even as shit as Twitter is there is still an order of magnitude more people there than here.
Compared to Twit’s heyday, it IS a ghost town here. It is not the same place of engagement, meeting, and dissemination at all
Compared to Twit’s heyday, it IS a ghost town here. It is not the same place of engagement, meeting, and dissemination at all
November 24, 2025 at 7:34 PM
I love all the people telling you that you are wrong, when the numbers show that even as shit as Twitter is there is still an order of magnitude more people there than here.
Compared to Twit’s heyday, it IS a ghost town here. It is not the same place of engagement, meeting, and dissemination at all
Compared to Twit’s heyday, it IS a ghost town here. It is not the same place of engagement, meeting, and dissemination at all
This sounds like stuff I’d love to be a fly on the wall for!
November 24, 2025 at 8:03 AM
This sounds like stuff I’d love to be a fly on the wall for!
Utterly spectacular (and puts my watercolour 'prowess' to shame!)
November 24, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Utterly spectacular (and puts my watercolour 'prowess' to shame!)
That’s really cool (and contra a different study from years ago that I dimly remember?)
November 22, 2025 at 7:30 AM
That’s really cool (and contra a different study from years ago that I dimly remember?)