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benjch

@benjch.bsky.social

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Canadian History Ehx@cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social · 4w ago

On this day in 1920, daredevil Charles Stephens went over Niagara Falls in an oak barrel using an anvil for ballast. He ignored warnings and strapped his feet to the anvil in the barrel. The only part of him ever recovered after he went over the falls was his right arm.

Black-and-white illustration of a man leaning out from inside a large striped barrel-like capsule mounted on a wooden frame. A circular hatch or steering-wheel-like part appears off to the side, suggesting an early stunt or survival barrel design.
ℳatt@matttomic.bsky.social · last mo.

Happy 54th birthday to Carlos Delgado, who, in addition to being a helluva slugger, took a brave and morally-correct stance against the Iraq War in 2004, earning him boos and derision and threats. "Athletes, who have this platform where they can reach millions of people, should use it." - Delgado

An excerpt from "42 Today: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy" By Michael G. Long, Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon · 2021 The most notable dissenter from American policy and its war on terrorism was first baseman Carlos Delgado, the two-time All Star who played with the Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, and New York Mets during his seventeen-year career. Delgado, a Puerto Rico native, was no stranger to political protest. He had campaigned for years against the American naval presence in Vieques, a Puerto Rican island used for sixty years as a weapons-testing ground. Remembering older residents' horror stories about the explosions, Delgado believed the military was waging a form of war on the tiny island. After the U.S. Navy left, Delgado and others called for the American government to clean up the economic, psychological, environmental mess it left behind, which included high cancer rates. Rallying others, he contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the campaign. As sportswriter Dave Zirin has noted, Delgado "viewed the people of Vieques as casualties-collateral damage-from the war on Iraq because they served as guinea pigs."" Delgado created the Extra Bases Foundation in Puerto Rico as a platform to express his commitment to social justice. The foundation has assisted ill and disadvantaged children, promoted local hospitals, and publicized the island's education crisis. After the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, Commissioner Bud Selig required teams to play "God Bless America" at each game's seventh-inning stretch. "After all," he claimed, "we do have troops in Iraq and Afghanistan." For three years, Delgado joined players and fans and stood while the song played, but in 2004 he decided to sit in the dugout instead, concerned that the song was being used to justify ongoing military intervention. Delgado claimed, "I don't stand because I don't believe it's right.... It's a very terrible thing that happened on September 11. It's also a terrible thing that happened in Afghanistan and Iraq. I feel so sad for the families that lost relatives and loved ones in the war. But I think it's the stupidest war ever."54 While Blue Jays president Paul Godfrey and catcher Gregg Zaun strongly supported the Iraq War, both honored Delgado's right to dissent. But when the team played at Yankee Stadium, boos and derision showered down on Delgado. After each of his outs, chants of "USA! USA!" went up in the crowd. Some right-wing fans and commentators labeled him "un-American," unfit to collect his paycheck, and even "a terrorist [who] should be jailed." In response, Delgado reiterated his antiwar message: "I say God bless America, God bless Miami, God bless Puerto Rico and all countries until there is peace in the world." Delgado claimed that some fellow athletes supported him, but others attacked him, saying, "Go back to Puerto Rico." He wasn't surprised that some fans would object to his views. "I felt people booing me [but] when you do [something like this], you do it because it is the right thing to do. . . . The most important thing is to stay true to your values and principles." According to Delgado, "Athletes, who have this platform where they can reach millions of people, should use it.""
Buttons (Ashley) 🏴‍☠️#OFMDForLife🏴‍☠️ 🏳️‍🌈🤡@sevensugars.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Since I did do my PhD in cyanobacteria growth and treatment optimization modeling AND work in the water treatment industry, I’m gonna share my theory as to what’s happening here and how to fix it. People are focusing on the painted bottom of the pool increasing residual heat, and while that 1/19

derek guy@dieworkwear.bsky.social · 2mo ago

RIP Mark Rothko. You would have loved how the hydrogen peroxide bleach is only turning the Reflecting Pool blue around the perimeter

Standing Together@standing-together.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Our Solidarity Guard sees the reality of the occupation every single day in the West Bank while providing protective presence to Palestinian communities. Listen to Alon-Lee Green, our National Co-Director of Standing Together, on BBC:

Ryan Cordell@ryancordell.org · 3mo ago

Students, if you’re thinking about dropping a note to that teacher or professor about what their class/project/mentorship has meant to you, but you worry it will be cringe or cheesy, let me just tell you they will coast on the fuzzy feelings prompted by that note for months, if not years

It's Jamie@sjamieit.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The City of Ottawa posted the raw speed data from before and after Doug Ford banned speed cameras and the effect is so obvious it's not even necessary put a line marking when that happened. This chart shows the percentage of drivers going 15km/h or more over the posted limit.

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auggie@autumndork.bsky.social · 4mo ago

What I like best about the Artemis II photos is that it was taken by actual humans. An actual person had to frame it and manually adjust settings. It's their own artistic rendition of what they thought looked best at the time, something no probe, rover or unmanned spacecraft can take. it's art

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RM@dorsalstream.bsky.social · 4mo ago

The horse op-ed is an instant classic. I can't tell you how much joy this piece gives me. It should be taught in every introductory writing class in no small part because the horse arguments are so compelling. "I have noticed that human children get to eat cake. But I am bigger than the children."

I Work Very Hard, And I Would Like To Try Cake By A Horse Hello. I am a horse. I work very hard at my job of being a horse. When humans say move the heavy thing, I move the heavy thing. When humans sit on top of me and pull on my head, I carry them where they want to go. The main food the humans give me is hay and oats. But I am thinking it would be nice to have a different food. I am thinking I would like to try cake. Yes, yes. Cake. I know all about it. When humans eat cake, it is in glad times. It is the food for a celebration, such as when a woman becomes 47. I have seen cake on the Fourth of July. When humans have a cake, they stand around it and clap hands and smile and say happy birthday at each other. Sometimes there are beautiful markings on a cake, such as balloons or a pink shape. Sometimes the top of a cake is on fire and a boy must blow on the fire with mouth wind. This is the scariest cake. I do not want this kind. But I will eat any other cake. Any cake that is not the fire cake that tries to kill the boy. Please understand: I do not get money for doing work. I do not get to go inside the house. All I am either doing my horse job or standing in my pen or eating food off the floor. I always do these things. But I have never once gotten cake and I would like it very much. I have noticed that human children get to eat cake. But I am bigger than the children. I am more helpful to the farm. Children do not move the heavy things like me or let anyone ride on them. And yet they get cake. Maybe the humans will realize this. Maybe they will say, "You know who deserves cake? That horse. That horse whose back we are always on." Every day I dream about what it will be like if I get to eat cake. Here is what will happen. First, I will walk to the cake and putt my nose at it like hrrfff to make and stomping my hooves to make sure it is not a snake. Then I will trot in a circle to show that I am a horse and I am large. After that, I will nuzzle the cake to …
Katherine the Sixth@luigithirty.bsky.social · 4mo ago

“If you’re gay or transgender, I love you. And if anybody gives you shit, tell ‘em Charles said fuck you.”

Charles Barkley: “If you are gay or transgender, I love you!’”

YouTube video by NBA On Fire

youtube.com

Awful Announcing@awfulannouncing.bsky.social · 4mo ago

"The way some of these other immigrants are getting treated in our country right now is a travesty and a disgrace... I think what’s going on in our country — what we’re doing to some of these amazing immigrants, is really unfortunate and it’s really sad." - Charles Barkley on CBS

Hunter Walker@hunterw.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Let's catalogue all of the links between Graham Platner, neo-Nazism, and other extremism that many Democrats are choosing to make excuses for. This should be laid out simply in one place. I literally had to screenshot this because it goes over the character limit.

1- Had a Nazi tattoo for years. 2- Reporting that he knew what it was, called it "my totenkopf," and indications it played a role in his exit from the armed forces. 3- Promotion of the virulently antisemitic Stew Peters podcast. Appearance on another antisemitic show he alluded to being a fan of. 4- Reddit comments denigrating Blacks, women, and the LGBTQ community. 5- Blackwater tenure and comments defending/praising soldiers who committed war crimes and burnt bodies in the Mideast.