The last months of dissertation-finishing has just completely destroyed my relationship with caffeine. Apologies in advance to everyone I interact with while attempting to fix that next month!

Truly a perfect news alert

It's called fiscal conservatism, folks.

Gillian Branstetter@gbbranstetter.bsky.social · 5mo ago

"Per the analysis by Open the Books, in September, the Pentagon spent $2 million on Alaskan king crab, $6.9 million on lobster tail, $15.1 million on ribeye steak, and $1 million on salmon. Dessert included 272 orders of doughnuts for $139,224 and ice cream machines for $124,000."

Anne Frank died of typhus at Bergen-Belsen

Scott Horton@robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 7mo ago

ICE now confirming that there is a measles outbreak at the Texas concentration camp where young Liam was held.

If you’re outside of Minnesota and you’re wondering how to help, this guide is excellent. And seriously. Take down your Ring doorbell TODAY.

How To Help if You are Outside Minnesota

Last edited January 22, 2026 I’m going to assume that if you’re reading this, you more or less understand the situation in Minnesota and I don’t have to explain it to you! That sa…

naomikritzer.com

General guide on how to help from outside Minnesota: naomikritzer.com/2026/01/21/h... Places to donate: www.standwithminnesota.com

This makes me feel more patriotic than the national anthem ever could

Another great postdoc opportunity at Notre Dame! We’re seeking a scholar of American racial & ethnic politics to join our fantastic and growing postdoc cohort Major upside: the opportunity to interview with our poli sci dept for conversion to a tenure-track line apply.interfolio.com/179415

ND's Klau Institute for Civil & Human Rights is searching for a postdoc; candidates from political science, econ, and sociology are encouraged to apply. I've been on the Klau board for a long time and this is a great group of folks, esp director Jennifer Mason McAward. apply.interfolio.com/177620

After becoming a congressional leader, a politician’s stock portfolio beats out those of peers by 47 (!!!) percentage points a year through trades timed around bills and firms that later get government contracts www.nber.org/papers/w34524 via @florianederer.bsky.social

Today I am thankful for the SPPQ editorial team! I created a simulated social media environment in Qualtrics and found that individuals’ political attitudes can change based on state legislators’ social media posts. A dissertation chapter and the most fun I’ve had working in a project so far.

Cambridge University Press Political Science & IR@cambup-polsci.cambridge.org · 9mo ago

#OpenAccess from State Politics & Policy Quarterly - Is It Worth Posting? Testing the Influence of State Legislators in Simulated Social Media - https://cup.org/4imtUes - @ahemmen.bsky.social #FirstView

Gender-affirming care saves lives

Erin Reed@erininthemorning.com · 9mo ago

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.

MAHA I guess :/

Brian Goldstone@brian-goldstone.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Unreal: "The EPA is moving forward with approvals for pesticides containing 'forever chemicals' as an active ingredient... The agency also announced plans to relax a rule requiring companies to report products containing PFAS and has proposed weakening drinking water standards for the chemicals."

I feel like most of us understand that he will change his mind literally the next time he talks to any of his horrible goblins, because he just agrees with the last person who talked to him. but still it's so funny that he fully got rolled by Mamdani leagues more than we even could have hoped

Chatham Harrison dba TRUMP DELENDUS EST@chathamharrison.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Let's not go crazy & think that just because he has nice things to say about Mamdani while Mamdani is in the room means that it's going to last past his next dose of naptime propaganda. Still some fine entertainment

A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women 🧵

Eugene V Debs: the best presidential candidate, the best Terre Haute resident

Adil Haque@adhaque.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Zohran opens his victory speech: "As Eugene Debs once said, I can see the dawn of a better day for humanity." Unapologetic. Unafraid.

A 2020 study found that Amazon—which shares owner Jeff Bezos with The Washington Post—is one of the largest employers of people on SNAP.

The Washington Post@washingtonpost.com · 10mo ago

As SNAP funds froze, mayors and governors have pledged to supplement the missing federal assistance, while federal judges ruled Friday that the Trump administration should use contingency funds to keep food aid running despite the government shutdown.

If our economic system is so brittle that it can be destroyed by free buses, maybe we should try for something more resilient.

John Schwartz@jswatz.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Holy crap, WP. “The young politician was born into a life of wealth and privilege, and from that perch he adopted a worldview centered around destroying the economic system that made his adopted country thrive.” www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Heartbreaking. 21 years old

Ari Drennen@aridrennen.bsky.social · 10mo ago

They kicked Lia Smith off the Middlebury College Swimming and Diving team for being trans and now, as the 2026 season kicks off, she's dead. Rest in power, Lia. The world is so cruel sometimes.

Miranda! No novelist could get away with this.

Patrick De Klotz@patdeklotz.bsky.social · 11mo ago

American citizen, read this. www.koin.com/news/portlan...

This Election Day may seem unimportant because there are no “big” offices on the ballot but many states hold their nonpartisan municipal elections in off years. Races for city council, school boards, county judgeships are VITALLY important to the day to day functions of your community! Participate!

*looks directly at camera*

Rolling Stone@rollingstone.com · 11mo ago

“I voted for none of this." Prominent influencers, including Theo Von, Joe Rogan, and Andrew Schulz, are starting to distance themselves from the president they helped propel to the White House. Story: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

🚨 Call for PostDoc or Visiting PhD Student 🚨 apply.interfolio.com/175219 We're seeking an American Politics scholar of leg. institutions or representation, under the direction of Jim Curry, Jeff Harden, and Rachel Porter (me!), affiliated with our Representation and Politics in Legislatures Lab

The Vice President of the United States used his social media page to tell Joy Reid, a private citizen with no connection to the government, that she should express "gratitude" for how this country has treated her. Black women remain the most consistent targets in all of this.

Important new FREE study by Amy Brooke Grauley. Experiments show when Christian leaders warn Christians against Christian nationalism, they're less likely to identify with it, especially if they don't have strong views on it yet. Effects are weaker in the opposite direction. doi.org/10.1007/s111...

"If we lose hope, we're doomed." We must continue Dr. Jane Goodall's mission and all fight for the future of the planet.

The only LLM I can get behind

Merriam-Webster@merriam-webster.com · 11mo ago

We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.

Amazing! www.bbc.com/news/article...

Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time

One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that can slow its progression and transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC.

bbc.com

New - “Hundreds of federal employees who lost their jobs in Elon Musk’s cost-cutting blitz are being asked to return to work.” www.cnn.com/2025/09/24/p...

Trump administration rehires hundreds of federal employees laid off by DOGE | CNN Politics

Hundreds of federal employees who lost their jobs in Elon Musk’s cost-cutting blitz are being asked to return to work.

cnn.com

Now on FirstView ft. @challenbrook.bsky.social! Guess what, political scientists? Small assignments that engage students in politics boost their confidence in their ability to influence the political process! doi.org/10.1017/S104... #polisky #politicalscience #academisky