When we in the @debtcollective.bsky.social started to organize around this in 2014, the attorneys we talked to were supportive but skeptical that Dept of Ed would ever actually cancel even some of this debt. ...

Tressie McMillan Cottom@tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 9h ago

Congratulations to everyone who worked their asses off for something that any semi-decent and ultimately self-interested government should have done in penance www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/b...

It's always tea time 🎨 Ana Jiménez

A long time ago Zeynep wrote a brilliant post (yes, I know she's now Lab Leak Central Media, but ...) I thought about twitter making likes public, and why that started a kind of breaking of the system. It adds something to have likes as a counter but not individualized, vs the RT which is.

Litbowl@litbowl.bsky.social · 6h ago

Yeah dear god the two mutuals immediately showing up below THIS post. It's distracting, it's unnecessary, and it feels slightly violating. Sure, I could go click into the list of who liked every post, it's not private, but why would I do that?

No drones in fire zones!

Washington Emergency Management Division@emd.wa.gov · 22h ago

Firefighting aircraft operate at low altitudes, often just a few hundred feet above the ground – the same airspace frequently used by recreational drones. This creates a significant risk of mid-air collisions or dangerous pilot distractions that could lead to catastrophic accidents. #wawildfire

With the end of the summer approaching, as I am preparing for my fall classes, I found this note I wrote to myself back in June. Good job, me.

Our friend the Quinghai Lake Toad is also known as the Round-warted Toad! They live in southwestern China and are somewhat common, even thriving in agricultural areas! (photo by CC黎明)

Your daily affirmation: There's nothing stopping you from being awesome, or having an invisible owl on your shoulder today.

Bonus aerial view:

A classic 1973 Bruce Pennington cover to ‘Children of Tomorrow,’ by A. E. van Vogt.

anyway, if anyone has a lead on jobs for a science journalist/writer who has been a planetarium director (meaning I can talk to the public), please let me know. I am *awfully* broke.

how do I turn off the "liked by <mutals>" thing Bluesky just added. I don't fucking want that

Professional writer organizations should not send out pro-AI propaganda in the form of tantrum-having "essays" to their members, and I don't think that's controversial.

Regarding The Pro-AI Tantrum In The HWA Newsletter

Today I, and every other HWA member, received the HWA newsletter in our inboxes. In that newsletter was an essay (“essay”) of pro-AI propaganda that made a number of specious points in …

terribleminds.com

In an attempt to be SLIGHTLY less chaotic than usual I'm going to have the seven new libraries go live at 6pm EST! At 6pm you'll find them here: www.whimsystation.com/category/min...

I was a little surprised by how much this bothered me, tbh. Not because I thought it was intentional or even human carelessness- it's a reminder that these algorithms work against difference, they work against outliers, they work against marginalia (literal & figurative). And that's what I write for

Doctora Malka Older@older.bsky.social · 4h ago

my pinned tweet for years was "I write for the people whose names get underlined in red by microsoft word" and...this is why. (no shade to the lovely people at the MIT Press reader, who changed it immediately as soon as I pointed it out)

If you ask me about my research, and I tell you about it, your next question should not be "Couldn't AI do that?"

Influencers? Meanest thou the three Fates who weave, measure, and cut the whisper-thin yet iron-strong threades that bynde togethir all of spacetyme? - threades that spelle out, yn sorcerous glyphs unreadable to any save the three, everyething that ys, was, or will be? Aye, Ich knowe of influencers.

I'll be drawing birds for donations again this year in addition to my weekly running miles! Details on how to donate for bird illustrations will come later this month. Looking forward to doing this again with you all, the kids need the help more than ever!

Amy Jo (AJ) Cousins@ajcousins.bsky.social · 6h ago

Wanna help? Become a Waymaker! We're running, walking, cycling 20,000 miles in September to raise money to get immigrant kids out of detention and back with family. Someone who kayaks to work is dedicating his miles to Waymakers! A salsa dance class is counting steps! It all counts! #BeAWaymaker

To continue down the path you must answer her three riddles. Photo from my collection, no date/info.

On August 3, Michigan reported two deaths associated with its cyclosporiasis outbreak. The state didn't say how either person died, how old they were, or what conditions they had. It did say both had "significant underlying health conditions." That was almost the only detail. 🧵

Who Gets to Feel Relieved When Sick People Die? Michigan Reports Two Deaths in Its Cyclospora Outbreak | Shouldn't Need to Be a Lawyer by Matthew Cortland

nb. CDC has added Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania to the list of Cyclospora outbreak states. I continue to urge caution, this o

shouldntneedtobealawyer.com

Voted! Get your ballots in today WA!

Soldier Says 'I'm Doing My Part!'

Alt: Soldier Says 'I'm Doing My Part!' taken from a military recruitment commercial within the 1997 film Starship Troopers

static.klipy.com

Meade Krosby@meadekrosby.bsky.social · yesterday

Voted 🗳️ Don’t forget to take your ballots to a drop box by 8pm today, Seattle.

Tiny Frogs in Unexpected Places is my favorite time of year😄

I think about this finding a lot: "Students whose school uses AI for many reasons are more likely to report that they or a friend of theirs has had a back-and-forth conversation with AI, like chatbots, in potentially troubling ways." From @cdt.org's report:

Hand in Hand: Schools’ Embrace of AI Connected to Increased Risks to Students

Artificial intelligence (AI) has continued to alter the educational experiences of teachers, students, and parents during the 2024-25 school year. The frequency and variety of AI uses continues to gro...

cdt.org

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 23h ago

“…the researchers found that opening up to chatbots about personal issues made some people feel not better but worse.”

Hey! We're offloading a bunch of our old branded fabrics to get them out of the shop. Price is per full length quarter yard - fabric is mostly uncut and will be shipped in as continuous of pieces as possible. This is old Joann fabric.

Branded Printed Cotton Fabrics, Pokemon, Star Wars, Wonder Woman, Avengers, and More! - Etsy

This Fabric item is sold by NerdyKeppie. Ships from Portland, OR. Listed on Aug 4, 2026

etsy.com

Firefighting aircraft operate at low altitudes, often just a few hundred feet above the ground – the same airspace frequently used by recreational drones. This creates a significant risk of mid-air collisions or dangerous pilot distractions that could lead to catastrophic accidents. #wawildfire

Hey, Washingtonians, Oregonians, Canadians et al—your resident “never stopped masking because my lungs and immune system suck” pal here. Just like when selecting a mask for virus protection, you want the mask that provides the best seal. Check for gaps around your chin, corners of your mouth, nose.

Today everyone — EVERYONE — should take a moment and read Ray Bradbury's four-page short story from 1950.

Rebecca R Helm@rebeccarhelm.bsky.social · 23h ago

Today is the day the story There Will Come Soft Rain is set. An amazing and heartbreaking work of fiction for our modern age. Read it here:

Breathing wildfire smoke can cause serious health risks and worsen existing health issues, especially lung conditions. Smoke can be carried by the wind, impacting people hundreds, or even thousands, of miles away. In 2025, Washington had 68 large fires that burned about 255,000 acres. Learn more.

Wildfires in Washington, 2025

Wildfires and their smoke have big impacts on health. This is a summary of how fires affected Washington residents in 2025.

storymaps.arcgis.com