Michael Rooney
@mr00ney.bsky.social
Philosopher by training. Co-author, with Richard L. Epstein, of Critical Thinking (5e). Eight-time winner on Jeopardy. Southern Californian. Sansei.
Reposted by Michael Rooney
1 of 8 fabulous Medieval #TilesOnTuesday found in Tring Herts curiosity shop: all but one show naughty/playful child Jesus in imaginary tales.
Here, bully destroys pool Jesus made along the Jordan and falls dead. Virgin intervenes, and bully returns to life at touch of Jesus's foot.
In BM. More ALT.
Here, bully destroys pool Jesus made along the Jordan and falls dead. Virgin intervenes, and bully returns to life at touch of Jesus's foot.
In BM. More ALT.
November 25, 2025 at 10:06 AM
1 of 8 fabulous Medieval #TilesOnTuesday found in Tring Herts curiosity shop: all but one show naughty/playful child Jesus in imaginary tales.
Here, bully destroys pool Jesus made along the Jordan and falls dead. Virgin intervenes, and bully returns to life at touch of Jesus's foot.
In BM. More ALT.
Here, bully destroys pool Jesus made along the Jordan and falls dead. Virgin intervenes, and bully returns to life at touch of Jesus's foot.
In BM. More ALT.
“The calls are coming from inside the house”—and the trustees’ boardroom of course.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...
How We Win the Battle for the Soul of the University with Professor Katherine Franke
Podcast Episode · Rights This Way · 10/30/2025 · 29m
podcasts.apple.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:39 AM
“The calls are coming from inside the house”—and the trustees’ boardroom of course.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...
Reposted by Michael Rooney
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 Michael Rooney
One day we’ll look back on this as one of the stupidest things we’ve done.
California farms applied millions of pounds of PFAS to key crops, study finds
‘Forever chemicals’ sprayed on almonds, grapes, tomatoes and other crops as activists warn of ‘obvious problem’
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:06 PM
One day we’ll look back on this as one of the stupidest things we’ve done.
Reposted by Michael Rooney
November 24, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Reposted by Michael Rooney
🎢 Close up slo-mo video of a bow sliding across the lowest violin string, which has been tuned down further, creating a wave pulse that moves in a counterclockwise motion.
Full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jey...
by way of @drussellpsu.bsky.social's website: www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Dem...
Full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jey...
by way of @drussellpsu.bsky.social's website: www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Dem...
December 18, 2024 at 10:06 PM
🎢 Close up slo-mo video of a bow sliding across the lowest violin string, which has been tuned down further, creating a wave pulse that moves in a counterclockwise motion.
Full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jey...
by way of @drussellpsu.bsky.social's website: www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Dem...
Full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jey...
by way of @drussellpsu.bsky.social's website: www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Dem...
4.5 x 3.5 m
The combined splendors of gold and ultramarine: Lorenzo Monaco's extraordinary Coronation of the Virgin for the high altar of Santa Maria degli Angeli, 1414.
November 21, 2025 at 10:13 PM
4.5 x 3.5 m
“One of the most amazing changes that is largely ignored in the last 60 years, is how the world is becoming causally impenetrable. … One of the negative consequences is that we can get fooled by misinformation more.”
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
Frank Keil on Causal Thinking
Podcast Episode · Social Science Bites · 11/03/2025 · 17m
podcasts.apple.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:06 PM
“One of the most amazing changes that is largely ignored in the last 60 years, is how the world is becoming causally impenetrable. … One of the negative consequences is that we can get fooled by misinformation more.”
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
From a poem by Du Fu, translated by Arthur Waley. I have been unable to identify the original Chinese.
Those whom death parts manage to swallow their tears
Those whom life parts sigh and forever sigh.
Those whom death parts manage to swallow their tears
Those whom life parts sigh and forever sigh.
November 20, 2025 at 9:48 PM
From a poem by Du Fu, translated by Arthur Waley. I have been unable to identify the original Chinese.
Those whom death parts manage to swallow their tears
Those whom life parts sigh and forever sigh.
Those whom death parts manage to swallow their tears
Those whom life parts sigh and forever sigh.
Reposted by Michael Rooney
Elon Musk's yearly pay package could end extreme poverty worldwide.
You might also listen to @georgemonbiot.bsky.social discuss this in a great conversation from today: bsky.app/profile/bold...
You might also listen to @georgemonbiot.bsky.social discuss this in a great conversation from today: bsky.app/profile/bold...
November 19, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Elon Musk's yearly pay package could end extreme poverty worldwide.
You might also listen to @georgemonbiot.bsky.social discuss this in a great conversation from today: bsky.app/profile/bold...
You might also listen to @georgemonbiot.bsky.social discuss this in a great conversation from today: bsky.app/profile/bold...
“In October, President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed that Tehran could no longer serve as the country’s capital, citing the water crisis”
So glad the world’s governments are focused on climate change now, right?
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
So glad the world’s governments are focused on climate change now, right?
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
Tehran’s water crisis is a warning for every thirsty city
Why Iran’s capital is running out of water — and why it won’t be the last.
www.vox.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:43 AM
“In October, President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed that Tehran could no longer serve as the country’s capital, citing the water crisis”
So glad the world’s governments are focused on climate change now, right?
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
So glad the world’s governments are focused on climate change now, right?
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
When the coffee you are drinking does not, in fact, keep you from nodding off
November 18, 2025 at 7:52 AM
When the coffee you are drinking does not, in fact, keep you from nodding off
Reposted by Michael Rooney
SCOOP: CDC officials on Monday linked for the first time the measles outbreak that began in Texas with another in Utah and Arizona, a finding that could end America’s status as a nation that has eliminated measles.
(Gift link)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/h...
(Gift link)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/h...
C.D.C. Links Measles Outbreaks in Multiple States for the First Time
www.nytimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:28 AM
SCOOP: CDC officials on Monday linked for the first time the measles outbreak that began in Texas with another in Utah and Arizona, a finding that could end America’s status as a nation that has eliminated measles.
(Gift link)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/h...
(Gift link)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/h...
Reposted by Michael Rooney
cool pincer movement if you truly grasp:
AI & any concept relating to it like so-called guardrails are a scam in the deepest sense like a perpetual motion machine or a quija board — and not only a scam like a pyramid scheme which is a possible way to make money if you are first in first out
🧵
1/n
AI & any concept relating to it like so-called guardrails are a scam in the deepest sense like a perpetual motion machine or a quija board — and not only a scam like a pyramid scheme which is a possible way to make money if you are first in first out
🧵
1/n
"Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o model by default...tests repeatedly showed that the AI toy dropped its guardrails the longer a conversation went on, until hitting rock bottom on incredibly disturbing topics."
AI-Powered Stuffed Animal Pulled From Market After Disturbing Interactions With Children
FoloToy says it's suspended sales of its AI-powered teddy bear after researchers found it gave wildly inappropriate and dangerous answers.
futurism.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:51 AM
cool pincer movement if you truly grasp:
AI & any concept relating to it like so-called guardrails are a scam in the deepest sense like a perpetual motion machine or a quija board — and not only a scam like a pyramid scheme which is a possible way to make money if you are first in first out
🧵
1/n
AI & any concept relating to it like so-called guardrails are a scam in the deepest sense like a perpetual motion machine or a quija board — and not only a scam like a pyramid scheme which is a possible way to make money if you are first in first out
🧵
1/n
Walked into a cafe to get out of the rain; after getting a hot drink to go, the barista rushed to ask me something. I halted and was asked, earnestly, by this youth “can I pray for you?” I suppressed the urge to quip “do I look that bedraggled?” and instead mustered my frostiest, deepest “Don’t.”
November 16, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Walked into a cafe to get out of the rain; after getting a hot drink to go, the barista rushed to ask me something. I halted and was asked, earnestly, by this youth “can I pray for you?” I suppressed the urge to quip “do I look that bedraggled?” and instead mustered my frostiest, deepest “Don’t.”
The then-sitting President of the Maldives (with a Ph.D. from Stanford) asked college drop-out & convict Jeffery Epstein whether he should believe a Nigerian prince scam.
For all the talk of Trump voters being gullible morons, the Epstein files expose the world’s elites as being much the same.
For all the talk of Trump voters being gullible morons, the Epstein files expose the world’s elites as being much the same.
![An email:
From:
Mohamed Waheed [
Sent:
1/27/2013 4:33:18 AM
To:
Jeffrey Epstein [jeevacation@gmail.com]
Subject:
Re:
Importance: High
Thank you. You are my savior. I will do exactly what you said.
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 27, 2013, at 9:29 AM. Jeffrey Epstein <jeevacation@gmail.com> wrote:
this from a fraud web site, your mimister will get upset that you dont want to at least try, what do we have to lose, always the pitch. THe following from the fraud site. --The essential fact in all advance-fee fraud operations is that the promised money transfer never happens because the money does not exist. The perpetrators rely on the fact that, by the time the victim realizes this (often only after being confronted by a third party who has noticed the transactions or conversation and recognized the scam, the victim may have sent thousands of dollars of their own money, and sometimes thousands or millions more that has been borrowed or stolen, to the scammer via an untraceable and/or irreversible means such as wire transfer. 3] Stay away, however if you want to embarass your possible opponent, you might set it up so that he looks like a fool,
ask for amemo of why he thinks you should agree, have it include as many detials as possible, so that
when you prove its a fraud,, you will make him look very silly as opposed to his saying, you missed an opportunity, anyway, glad you are well
On Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 10:49 PM, Mohamed Waheed Hassan
› wrote:
Jeffrey,
Need your advice.
My finance minister is telling me that he has an anonymous funds manager who is willing to deposit 4 billion dollars in Maldives and that they are willing to lend a percentage of that in exchange for government promissory notes. The 4 billion would be deposited in the Central Bank. But they want us to set up a special purpose vehicle, a construction company fully owned by the government to receive the loan. Such a company can only be set up under a presidential decree.
1 am also told that the funds manage…](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:qkdbu6qjhdbpijl63x7n7yn4/bafkreigz4enm5e5gix5rbiirnos7f3ngsddib4xhsrbqdxgdb4aln44qfy@jpeg)
November 15, 2025 at 3:13 PM
The then-sitting President of the Maldives (with a Ph.D. from Stanford) asked college drop-out & convict Jeffery Epstein whether he should believe a Nigerian prince scam.
For all the talk of Trump voters being gullible morons, the Epstein files expose the world’s elites as being much the same.
For all the talk of Trump voters being gullible morons, the Epstein files expose the world’s elites as being much the same.
Reposted by Michael Rooney
The Red Cape (Madame Monet) - 1873
https://botfrens.com/collections/41/contents/7311
https://botfrens.com/collections/41/contents/7311
November 15, 2025 at 8:49 AM
The Red Cape (Madame Monet) - 1873
https://botfrens.com/collections/41/contents/7311
https://botfrens.com/collections/41/contents/7311
I shared this not long ago, but as today is Copland’s birthday, I’ll share it again.
youtu.be/bMaAe2aH6pw
youtu.be/bMaAe2aH6pw
Slatkin conducts Appalachian Spring
YouTube video by Gerard Gary Zasuwa
youtu.be
November 15, 2025 at 1:06 AM
I shared this not long ago, but as today is Copland’s birthday, I’ll share it again.
youtu.be/bMaAe2aH6pw
youtu.be/bMaAe2aH6pw
Reposted by Michael Rooney
Despite decades of assimilation, many Indigenous Taiwanese continue to speak Indigenous languages unrelated to Chinese, they predominantly practice very syncretic Christianity and traditional belief systems, and most still have Indigenous names despite not being allowed to hold them officially
November 14, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Despite decades of assimilation, many Indigenous Taiwanese continue to speak Indigenous languages unrelated to Chinese, they predominantly practice very syncretic Christianity and traditional belief systems, and most still have Indigenous names despite not being allowed to hold them officially
Visited the oldest still-open Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles the other night. It was like what grandma used to make.
November 14, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Visited the oldest still-open Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles the other night. It was like what grandma used to make.
Reposted by Michael Rooney
For the first time, scientists have documented an unusual defense: Some species of arachnids build giant doppelgängers on their webs, creating a frightening deception that scares off would-be killers. https://scim.ag/487Myn0
November 12, 2025 at 5:08 PM
For the first time, scientists have documented an unusual defense: Some species of arachnids build giant doppelgängers on their webs, creating a frightening deception that scares off would-be killers. https://scim.ag/487Myn0
Reposted by Michael Rooney
after reading how all these rich folks write i think i understand why they believe everyone else needs a chatbot to write everything from emails and text message to novels
November 13, 2025 at 1:48 AM
after reading how all these rich folks write i think i understand why they believe everyone else needs a chatbot to write everything from emails and text message to novels
“Internet companies are given complete carte blanche. On the one hand, they may censor as much as they like. On the other hand, they are not responsible for anything they publish. And so we’ve not been able to think of them as publishers, which is what they are.”
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
New Books in Intellectual History
Society & Culture Podcast · Updated Daily · Interviews with Scholars of Intellectual History about their New Books
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast...
podcasts.apple.com
November 12, 2025 at 7:39 PM
“Internet companies are given complete carte blanche. On the one hand, they may censor as much as they like. On the other hand, they are not responsible for anything they publish. And so we’ve not been able to think of them as publishers, which is what they are.”
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
Beckett belongs to that category of writer whose sense best emerges when read aloud by sharp-witted performers. As Jennifer Hodgson says in the post-performance discussion here, he has a “mouth-feel” that is unmistakable.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...
Jennifer Hodgson & Lara Pawson on Samuel Beckett
Podcast Episode · London Review Bookshop Podcast · 10/15/2025 · 1h 6m
podcasts.apple.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Beckett belongs to that category of writer whose sense best emerges when read aloud by sharp-witted performers. As Jennifer Hodgson says in the post-performance discussion here, he has a “mouth-feel” that is unmistakable.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...